Hallowed Ages

One last Halloween LO for this year, I think. These are pics from last year's Trick or Treat.

It's funny how each of my 3 kids is in a different stage of growth right now -- I have a toddler, pre-schooler and a grade-schooler so you can just imagine how much I have to take into consideration for seemingly simple events like Halloween.

Title: Hallowed Ages

Materials: Bazzill cs, KI Memories pp and ie-cuts, Heidi Swapp clock, Imagination Project die-cut, Making Memories Foil and adhesive kit, misc brads, bling

Journaling:

0-3 Yrs: Will wear whatever costume you give her; Needs help to carry her pumpkin basket; Is happy with the candy she gets after 3 stops.

4-6 Yrs: Plans her costume months in advance; Will carry her own pumpkin basket; Will knock on doors for as long as you will let her.

7+ Yrs: Will not wear a costume...period; Will not carry a pumpkin basket; Will make sure nobody gets more candy than he does.

Divvying Up The Bounty

Another Halloween LO using pics from our 2006 trip to Oz.

Title: Divvying Up The Bounty

Journaling: We spent Halloween in Gold Coast, Aust not knowing that it isn't the big event that it is back home. Instead of Trick or Treat we had our own Treat Hunt which you thought was just as fun! Halloween 2006

Materials: Rusty Pickle papers, Heidi swapp chipbpard alphabets, American Crafts Vinyl Alphabets and Journaling sticker, Zig, American Crafts and uniball Signo pens, Making Memories Foil and Flocking Kit and Velvet Stickers, Saunders adhesive, Clearsnap Chalk ink

Bianca's 1st Halloween

Here's this month's LO for Lasting Impression in time for Halloween. We spent Halloween 2006 in Gold Coast, Australia, not realizing that it wasn't a big deal there -- as in there was only one Halloween activity at Warner Brothers, and nothing else! So we just made up our own Trick or Treat in our service apartment and Bianca had her 1st taste of candy!

Title: 1st Taste of Halloween

Journaling: This was your 1st-ever Halloween, your 1st-ever costume (not a hand-me-down from Nadya) and the 1st time you tasted candy. Needless to say, the whole Halloween thing was a big hit for you, particularly the candy-eating part. Bianca, 10-31-06, Gold Coast, Aust;

Materials: Rusty Pickle patterned papers, Daisy Ds die-cut tag, Making Memories Halloween Velvet Stickers and Flocking and Foil Kit and paint, American Crafts foam thickers and chipboard frames, Queen & Co. chipboard circles, alpha brads and felt; Clearsnap chalk ink, Stickles, Zig pen, Jo-ann alpha clip, Prima journaling note paper

Hurray! Birthday Season is Officially Over!

Whew! The period of July-October is always the busiest time for me. Not only has school started (and with it comes daily homework, exams, going back and forth to 3 different schools, traffic, etc) but all of my 3 kids' birthdays fall within this time frame.

Their birthdays are exactly 6 weeks apart -- beginning on July 20 (Nadya), then Sept 3 (Bianca) and finally ends on Oct 16 (Luis). And that's only on the home front since the Scrappin' Moms Idol Contest is also held during this time.

And since cost-cutting is THE underlying theme for all parties this year, they all celebrated their birthdays at home (Bianca had another one in school and Luis had a joint-party with 2 other friends). I not only made their birthday cakes, but I also made the invites, decorations and researched theme-related games and made props, on top of being the party host and music dj.

This year, I made a total of 5 cakes for my kids birthdays.

And to top it all of, my birthday falls right after Luis' on Oct 17 so I had to make time to celebrate it as well. I am not one to shy away from celebrating my birthday so I celebrated my last year in the 30's with 3 parties!

• On Oct 11, I had my annual scrap-party with my best scrapping buddies. These guys are so sweet, they got together to get me a Clip-It Up with a 2nd tier. Unfortunately, we didn't have an over-nighter this time because my sked couldn't accomodate it.
• On Oct 17 (after Luis' birthday party at home), Bud and I had dinner with Therese and her hubby Arman. Therese is one of my best college buddies -- too bad Buda and Janet are in the US and Kip was in Singapore (together we call ourselves the GGs). We ate at Mamou (yummy steak) where Bud had arranged for them to surprise me with a Mini Red Velvet Cake and a bouquet of flowers, all delivered to me as the waiters sang Happy Birthday! Then we had a few drinks at Brava reminiscing about the good old days when 5 rounds of Absolut-tonic wouldn't even make a dent in our system. We were surprised to still be awake past 1am!
• And on Oct 18, we had Ladies Night with the other Hot OC (as in obsessive-compulsive) Moms October celebrants Astrid, Isay and Maget. This is my La Salle Greenhills mommy group -- THE source for all inside info and exam reviewers! The conversation among the 12 ladies present (no men allowed) was titillating, to say the least, especially with flowing wine, champagne and our secret lootbags!

Not bad for an old hag nearing her 40's, eh?

Birthday Challenge Prize!

Here's what's at stake for my birthday challenge. Hope you all find the time to join in! Details are here.

Who wants to win a Brand New PINK Version 2.0 Zutter Bind-It-All?

I know I do, but I don't think I'm eligible to join this contest. But for those of you who are, Scrapbooks N Stickers will be holding a Scavenger Hunt from Oct 12 - Nov 11. All you have to do is scour the site and blog for answers to these 20 questions:

1. What is the name of the Scrapbooks 'N Stickers Design Team?
2. If you purchase the Zutter Bind-It-All from Scrapbooks 'N Stickers on line, what do you receive as a free bonus?
3. What is the name of our monthly club?
4. What two sizes do the Zutter Round-It-All corner rounder come in?
5. Who owns Scrapbooks 'N Stickers?
6. What is the name of the Fancy Pants paper line that is perfect for scrapbooking a birthday?
7. What do you receive with membership in our monthly club?
8. How many members of our Design Team live outside the United States?
9. There are four choices for refills for the Glue Glider Max. What are they?
10. Clicking on what tab on our home page will take you to our blog?
11. Which company on our website has a product line called "Beyond the Page"?
12. What is the name of Teresa Collins Designs scrapbook line that features crowns, angel wings and the colors pink & black?
13. What five things will the Zutter Round-It-All corner rounder cut?
14. According to the Scrapbooks 'N Stickers Blog post from September 23, will the Taste of Scraptique layouts for CKC-Seattle be the same or different from the layouts for CKC-Portland and why?
15. What is the name of the Zutter machine that will let you cut your full cardstock sheets down to any size with just the turn of a handle?
16. What is the name of the best selling line of "bling" by Prima Marketing, Inc.?
17. What scrapbooking company featured on the Scrapbooks 'N Stickers website carries a wide variety of wood products, including wall hangings, albums, words, shapes and flourishes?
18. What scrapbook convention is Scrapbooks 'N Stickers a Platinum sponsor of?
19. What is the name of the Bind-It-All idea book?
20. What is the name of the head of our Design Team who is also the inspiration, creative mind and fabulously fun girl behind our Scavenger Hunt?

Please check out the blog for more details on how to join this fun contest.

Too Old Too Soon

Here's a Halloween LO I made a while back.

Luis is turning 8 on Thursday and this photo was from last year's Halloween festivities, when he was 7.

The small photos on the film strips are pics of the various costumes he has worn over his 1st 7 years of life. These are actually only a few of them because my kids really enjoy playing dress-up.

Title: Too Old Too Soon

Journaling: Since when was being 7 years old too old for anything?

Barely 2 weeks after your 7th birthday, you decided that you were too old to wear a Halloween costume – but not too old to go Trick or Treat! This black Batman shirt was the closest thing to a costume that you would wear. You didn’t even want to carry a pumpkin basket.

How could time go by so fast? You were the poster child for costumes. You had so many costumes, that they were your everyday play clothes. You even planned for Halloween months in advance.

I was teary-eyed as I looked through these photos of you in costumes from the last 7 years, realizing that soon, you probably wouldn’t even let me take your photo. Luis, Halloween 2007

Materials: Basic Grey patterned papers and alphabet stickers, Bazzill cardstock, American Crfats Thickers, Heidi Swapp Chipboard clock, Queen & Co square brad and photo anchors; Creative Imaginations brads and stickers, 7 Gypsies gaffer tape, EK Success fastener, Grafix transparency, Font: Estrangelo Edessa (Microsoft)

Luckily, this year he has gone back into costume mode (thanks to The Clone Wars movie) and plans to be Bobba Fett or a Clone Trooper! Maybe, he can still be my baby for a little bit longer:)

Back to School

I went back to school these past 7 weeks --- Chipboard School, that is, hosted by Scrapping Outback. This series has been the most awesome I've ever been in, granted the only other one I joined was the 2007 Bad Girls Top Designer Contest (which was awesome, too)!

Here I was, thinking I knew all there is to know about chipboard, only to find out that I have not even begun to scratch the tip of the iceberg.

A winner is going to be chosen this week but I'm pretty sure I'm not even in the running, given that the other girls who joined were so good and creative and totally thinking out of the box! I think it took me a few weeks before I got comfortable with the class and started going out of my comfort zone.

Here are my LOs from the last 7 weeks.

Week 1 - Multi-colored chipboard with glitter

Title: BFF

Journaling: Nadya and Bianca are very lucky to have each other, and they know it. They just adore each other and can't stay mad at the other for more than 5 minutes. Sisters, indeed, make the best friends! Photo, Mar 2008;

Materials: Patterned papers - October Afternoon; Chipboard - Fancy Pants; Ink - Clearsnap, Tsukineko; Embossing Powder - Ranger; Metal Word - Making Memories; Metal Charm - Imaginisce; Heart Clasp - Maya Road; Pen - Zig; Stamps - Prima, Autumn Leaves; Adhesive - Thermoweb, EK Success; Felt Flower - Jenni Bowlin; Misc lace and ribbon

Week 2 - Dimensional Stamping on Chipboard

Title: The Easter Bunny Came to Town

Journaling: Bianca loved these bunny ears and wore them where ever she went last easter. She looked so adorable! I'm looking forward to see her with them again next year! Easter 2008;

Materials: Patterned paper, Transparency - Pink Paislee, Bird - Sassafras Lass; Journaling Note - Making Memories; Metal Clip - Making Memories; Floss - Karen Foster; Metal Alphabets - Jo-ann; Chipboard - Heidi Swapp; Stamp - Absolument Scrap; Ink - Clear Snap, Tsukineko; Dimensional Glaze - Judikins; Pen - Zig, Uniball Signo;

Week 3 - Foiled and Dry-Embossed Chipboard

Title: Biker Chix

Journaling: Bianca takes her brand new Twist N Turn car out for a spin. 090308;

Materials: Patterned Paper - Tinkering Ink; Overlay - Hambly; Cardstock - DCWV; Stamp - Prima; Ink - Ranger and Clearsnap; Pen - Zig; Chipboard - Heidi swapp and Lil Davis; Paint - Making Memories; Rub-Ons - Daisy Ds; Other- Dymo Lable Maker, foil

Week 4 - Using Household Materials to Cover Chipboard

Title: About a Boy

Journaling: Luis, 03-22-08;

Materials: Patterned Papers-Inque Boutique; Chipboard- Bird (My Mind's Eye), Stars & Clouds (Inque), Corner (Basic Grey); Ink - Tsukineko, Ranger, Clearsnap; Pen - Zig, Sailor, Uniball Signo; Vinyl Letters - American Crafts; Tiny Letter Stickers - Making Memories; Others - crayons, raffia twine, fabric, plastic wrap

Week 5 - Layering Chipboard (my LO won this week)

Title: Heartbreak

Materials: Patterned papers - Websters Pages; Chipboard - Fancy Pants; Ink, Embossing Powder, Crackle Paint - Ranger; Acrylic Paint - Making Memories; Glass Glitter - Art Institute; Crackle Medium - Semco; Journal Card - Collage Press; Metal Clip & Letter Stickers - Making Memories; Ribbon Slide - Imaginisce; Journaling Tag - K&Co; Misc lace, mesh

Journaling: I wish I could tell you that you will never have to cry again, but I can't. But know that we love you no matter what, and we'll always be here to help you pick-up the pieces. Love, Mom; Photo March 08

Week 6 - Covering Chipboard with Tulle and Embossing with Glitter

Title: Butterfly Fairy

Materials: Patterned Papers-Dream Street; Chipboard - Fancy Pants; Paint - Making Memories, Ranger; Ink - Versacolor, Clearsnap, Ranger; Letters - American Crafts, Making Memories; Provo Craft glitter, UTEE; Flower - Maya Road; Photo turn - 7 Gypsies; Brads - Autumn Leaves, Making Memories; Pin - Making Memories; Stamp - Absolument Scrap; Pen - American Crafts Slick Writer' Misc tulle

Week 7 - Crackled Chipboard and Distressed Edges

Title: 1967

Journaling: What events mosr changed your life? My parents' wedding on Dec. 7, 1967. Had that not happened, I wouldn't even be here. They were complete opposites but complemented each other perfectly. I don't even recall them ever fighting or having an argument. They called each other "Darl", short for "Darling". I thought it was a cute and unique "pet name." My dad died suddenly on April 26, 1988 and my mom has never fully recovered from it.

Materials: Patterned papers - Dream Street; Chipboard flower - Maya Road; Chipboard numbers - Heidi Swapp; Colorbox inks, Versamark, UTEE, Craf-T Metallic rub-ons, Ranger Crackle paint, Semco crackle medium, Making Memories paint, 7 Gypsies metal Clip, K& Co die-cut journaling sticker; EK Success clock pin, misc lace and metal heart charm; American Crafts pen, corrugated board

Scrapping Outback is holding a 'cybercrop' this weekend to celebrate the graduation of the chipboard schoool students. Theme for the weekend is 'BEACH". There will be free projects, challenges, childrens projects, games, prizes and giveaways. PLUS you will be able to grab a bargain with the Grab Some Chipboard Madness Sale.

There will be spot specials on chipboard products including the cybercrop new release chipboard designs by Rachelle Minett. The spot specials will only be available for up to one hour at a time. If you submit more then one order over the weekend you will also receive free postage. Some products will be 50% OFF.

Huge prizes available all weekend from Rusty Pickle, Fiskars and HEAPS more (check out the pic at right)! Anyone for a game of BINGO.???? join in the fun in the forum and play Bingo.

This has been an incredible journey and I want to thank everyone at Scrapping Outback, especially Iris who is on their DT, for the great class!

Birthday Challenge

Anybody up for a challenge?

My birthday is coming this month and I'll have 1 year left before I turn 40. Boy, is that a wake-up call, or what? Right now, I can't think of any should'ves or could'ves that I can't live with, so I guess I've done pretty much what I want to do with my life.

But now there's a number hanging above my head and I can't help but think that there must be other things I need to do before I get there. The question is "What????"

THE CHALLENGE: Create a LO or project with the theme "What To Do Before I Turn 40" (or for those who have passed this milestone "What I Should've Done Before I Turned 40")

THE PRIZE: I have quite a few goodies here and I'll take a pic soon, but I guarantee you it's gonna be worth it.

Email your LOs to me by October 31 and I'll have a few people choose the winner to be announced a week later.

So girls, you have a month to do this, can't wait to see what suggestions you have for me in my last year in the 30's!

Guest Daisy Diva

Guess what?????

I'm a Guest Daisy Diva this month and I got to play with Cocoa Daisy's yummy kit "Newbury Street".

Check out my work here and get the kit here.

You're Invited

Let the party officially begin!

We’re so excited to invite you to join us for the Little Monkeys Turns One Celebration

For: You & Us
When: Sept 30th (with the fun running through the month of October
Where: Little Monkeys website
R.S.V.P. not needed, just come for the fun!

Get in the party spirit with the Design Monkeys - check in for inspiration, challenges, and fun giveaways! Since this is our first group of Design Monkeys, we’re still getting started, but watch throughout the month as everyone gets in the swing (haha) of things!

Scrap N Supply Shack Oct Reveal

Here are my projects for Scrap'N Supply Shack's October kit "All Hallow's Eve".

Title: Too Cute 2 Spook

Materials from SNSS: Patterned Papers - SEI; American Crafts Thickers, American Crafts Ribbon; Other Materials: Pen - Uniball Signo, Ranger Distress Paint; Chalk Ink;

Journaling: Bianca gets made-up as a bunny for the Halloween '07 issue of Working Mom magazine. 082707

Title: My New Friend

Materials from SNSS: Patterned Papers- Creative Imaginations, SEI; Stamp - Imaginisce, Ribbon - American Crafts, Thickers - American Crafts, Buttons; Other Materials: Pen - Uniball Signo, Zig; Dymo Label Maker; Ink - Ranger;

Journaling: Luis meets a new friend in this skeleton we found at the Acropolis Trick or Treat. Oct '07

Title: Candy Mafia

Materials from SNSS: Patterned Papers-Creative Imaginations; American Crafts Thickers; Maya Road Journaling Sheers; American Crafts Ribbon, Stamp-Imaginisce; Other Materials: Pen - American Crafts Slick Writer; Ink - Ranger

Title: Halloween Door Hanger

Materials from SNSS: Cardstock, Patterned Papers - Creative Imaginations, SEI; Twinkling H2O, Stickles, Maya Road Square Scallop Chipboard, Imaginisce Stamp; Other Materials: Ranger Distress Paints and Inks

Do check out the rest of the DT Members' work here and I think there may be a few more kits available here.