I've been busy...Reflections and stuff

Hello! I have been in a rut for the past 3 to 4 weeks... This all started before we left for HK on July 15. Since then though, there'd been a lot of stuff I had to do and want to do. This blog is sort of my journal too in that a year from now, I'd want to know what I was doing, thinking and stuff.  So in summary, so I don't forget here's what I have been busy with.

July 12 - signed up with Fitness First! Need to go to the gym and lose some weight more especially ass weight! :)
July 15-18 - went to Hong Kong. Bought my first LV. Gio and I both bought ourselves one and we're soooo happy. Hope to scrap those soon. :)
July 24-25 - it's college basketball (UAAP) time again and of course we can't miss any DLSU games so the next weekend after HK, we watched the biggest game ever - DLSU won over Ateneo and we haven't beaten them since 2007! We were there at the Araneta Coliseum jumping up and down the entire game! Happiest and bestest game I've ever watched! And then the next day we were suppose to rest but we decided to go to Greenbelt 5 and watch Inception. But we missed it anyway due to the sumptuous dinner we had. Gio also bought another LV. Yes, now he's addicted and I'm scared for him. haha
July 31-Aug - the next weekend when we thought we could finally rest, we had to attend a baptism on Saturday and then another basketball game on Sunday which got extended to us watching the movie Salt so we went home late again.

On weekdays, of course I work and I don't know what got into me but I have a new found love for sleeping. It started because of my need to sleep first before I head out to the gym. So after work, I'd eat early lunch with Gio (11am) then sleep until 2pm then head to the gym around 3 or 4. And since then, I have been sleeping A LOT! Even on days when I don't think I'd fall asleep coz I wasn't that tired but I do. In the past, after work I'd just go straight into my scrap room and stay there until around 7pm (no wonder my ass has grown this huge!) then head straight to bed to sleep before my work starts at around 1am. So a 4 to 5-hour sleep for me everyday is normal. But now, I add 3-4 more hours to that in between! I've read in a lot of magazines and books that sleep is good for one's health & skin coz that's the only time our body and skin has time to rejuvenate. And I really want to do it but I just feel at times that sleeping is a waste of time. Like I can do so much more if I only sleep enough but I guess 4 to 5 hrs is not enough because now I'm lovin' if and I feel so refreshed and good after my afternoon nap. :)

I'm not sure if this is only a phase but I feel my life is more balanced now. I'm back to reading books & going to the gym and not only scrapping.  I felt that I was happy before because of the scrapbook pages I finish and that was enough but I forgot the other facets of my life. Scary that scrapbooking can do this to me huh? But I feel I've grown and have overcome that exciting phase. Because of our HK trip too, I realized I was neglecting my closet, my physical features, my stuff because I spend all my efforts and money into scrapbooking but have now realized that there's a lot more out there than that and I should balance everything out. So I don't have any stretchy scrappy goals now except for my DT assignments. I don't push myself to finish more than I can handle and will scrap for the pleasure of it and when creativity hits me and not to hit some challenge deadlines and stuff. I have also tried controlling the urges to buy the new releases because I still have tons from CHA last year that I have not used and so I subbed to My Scrapbook Nook's kit too (to combat the hunger of buying new stuff) and will start using my stash instead of buying more that I know I won't be able to use because I just don't have enough time.

This gym thing is really serious for me. I really want to lose weight. The hardest part is that Gio is not encouraging me because he says he's fine with how my body looks now but I really am not okay with it. I feel heavy everyday, I have a hard time tying shoe laces sometimes, my pants are getting so tight (I don't want to go one size bigger than I already am). I used to be a size 8 when Gio and I started out, now I'm a size 12 and would really really hate myself if I go to size 14! So it has got to stop in addition to the fact that I couldn't wear what I want. I always need to consider my arms, what my thighs and hips would look like. I never used to think about those because I looked good in anything I want to wear before (I don't mean to brag but I really do at size 8!) :). I don't think I can go back to a size 8 (something you realize when you hit late 30's) coz my metabolism and eating habits just wont be able to catch up even if I work out that hard. I just want to go down to a 10 and I'd be a very happy lady then. :)

So all this and more are going through my head and I just don't have enough time in a day to do all that I want to. But now I think I got it. I found the balance I want and need. So you'll probably see less projects from me but know that when I do them, they are special and I was in a really creative mood. I'm reading books again, I missed them I have hundreds more to read on my bookshelf. I'm consistently going to the gym 3x a week and still get time to scrap some days (but not everyday now).

Before I end this pretty long narrative, I'd like to leave this layout that I did before leaving for Hong Kong. It's all Prima and it's me and one of my flower girls on my wedding day. She was so pretty and just loved to pose for that picture. :)

Wish me luck on losing weight! :)

Cheers!
Cathy

Something for my room

So excited about this project. I wanted to make a mini-album when I started but ended up with an art display for my room. I was browsing through my photos and trying to find groups of pictures I can use for the mini album but when I couldn't find a good theme and the photos are just not in the right size, this came about. I knew I wanted to pait that's one thing, then it led to another and another and here's what I got.

This is an accordion 3"x3" wooden album from Kaisercraft. I also used Kaisercraft pp's for the covers and the designs. I wanted to hang this at the back of the door of my scrapbook room or maybe in one of the corners of my room - still thinking about it...

Close up of the chipboard letters which I also covered with Kaiser pp. Finally had a chance to use those huge alpabet chipboard I've had since forever. I also inked with paint the sides of both the album and the background pp I used.

I'm so happy with the outcome of this. Now my room will feel more scrappy with the addition of this!

Cheers!

Cathy

The Color Room

When I saw this photo of mine, I couldn't think of a better challenge than the colors I saw at The Color Room last Friday. I immediately looked for papers and embellishments with the coordinating colors and I am so glad I took the challenge because I actually used my old stash on here.

But I couldn't find a good gray colored paper / embellishment so I painted the KI Memories die cut (originally black) pp using Ranger Paint Dabber in Mud. I also loved that my Fiskars circle cutter was able to cut through the die cut with no problems. I thought I was going to destroy the die cut as I was cutting it. I also misted the painted die cut with GM marshmallow to give it a bit of shine.

Close up of the die cut and the butterflies and flowers I cut out from a patterned paper.

 

Here's the close up of the title and the butterflies and the trail...

Materials Used:

PP: Heidi Swapp, SEI, Bella Blvd, KI die cut pp

Alpha: Silhouette die cut

Embellishments: Prima Say it in Pearls, Thread

Inks: Disress inks, Stickles, Glimmer Mist

Tools: Martha Stewart border punch, Bazzil n Stitch template

 

 

Cheers!

Cathy

Summer Boat Ride

I really loved the challenge posted I saw yesterday over at the American Crafts Blog. What is it about? Ink pads and that means Stamping! I love incorporating stamps onto my layouts and whenever I see an opportunity to do so, I take it and this one is no exception. I actually used 4 stamps on this layout and also used our sketch this week at Scrapbook Challenges.

These photos are from our first family Boracay trip back in 2007. I remember we had to take a 2-hour bus ride to get to the docking station that will take us to the island. But now, there are already flights that take you directly to the boat station. It was a fun family trip (Gio's side) because the entire family was complete - grandma, parents and grandkids.

Close up of the title work and the embellies I used. The question "Are we there yet?" is a 7Gypsies stamp.

Close up of the gelly buttons and tag from a local store here. And the 2 stamps on the side of the photo's are Tim Holtz Stamps. The big flourish is stamped using 2 colors of distress inks.

One more stamp here...

That's how much I love stamps! Four in an LO and I think this is the most stamps I've used on one LO. We want to go back to the island again sometime soon but it's hard to get everybody's schedule in sync nowadays. That's why these memories are to be treasured...

Materials Used:

PP:  AC Letterbox
Alpha: AC Thickers
Embellishments: Jelly buttons, Chipboard and Tags from LSS
Inks: Disress inks, Staz On, Colorbox Chalk Ink
Tools: Martha Stewart round d page punch, 7Gypsies Stamps, Tim Holtz Stamps

Cheers!

Cathy

Websters and Pencil Lines

I really loved this sketch by Pencil Line. It took me a while to decide what photo and papers to use but I decided to go with my Websters Winter CHA stash.  I got sad when I saw that I barely touched that stash because I bought the complete 3 lines when it got released the first time in Two Peas. It cost a lot - because I wanted it to get here sooner so I paid for Johnny Air (3rd party shipping) to get it faster.  And because it is new, there were no discounts given at all...

So that's a lesson learned for me especially that Summer CHA is soon coming. I have to remind myself that I can only use as much so do not buy the entire lines! I actually normally don't buy the entire line except that I just find it really hard to do that with Prima and Websters because their goods are sooooooo pretty!

Sorry to babble about that so here is the layout. I used Webster's Pages Life's Portrait collection and some Silhouette die cuts too. I did misting again on the LO which still scares me by the way but I just do it anyway and so far, so good. :)

The title is a Silhouette die cut which I glued onto a websters pp too for a clearer backdrop so it stands out from the page. The die cut is in white originally, I stamped it with the Hero Arts friendship background stamp, heat embossed it using clear powder and then inked it using distress ink.

The trim on here is in color white and I misted it with Glimmer Mist Turquoise Blue. The border masked I used is also a Silhouette die cut I just misted it with GM Red Velvet and added Melissa Frances Blings in lime green to match the color of the title.

The photo mat is a frame from one of the websters paper and I wanted the color to pop more so I heat embossed the white portion outlines using glue pen and then inked the rest with fired brick to match the color of the mist I used.

The corner for the photo is a Prima stamp and then I just added that cutout lantern from a websters pp too. 

PP:  Webster's Life's Portrait
Alpha: Silhouette die cut
Embellishments: Trims, Melissa Frances Blings
Inks: Disress inks, Glimmer mist Red Velvet, Turquoise Blue), Ranger clear embossing powder
Tools: Martha Stewart border punch, Silhouette die cut used as mask, Hero Arts and Prima Stamps

Thanks for dropping by!

Cheers!

Cathy

Sister Layout

Found this picture of my sister and I that was taken a little more than a year ago during my nephew's christening. I also wanted to try my new Martha Stewart punch around the edge and I love it! :)

Close of the title and the chipboard.

The chipboard is from my old stash (don't know what brand it is). I painted it yellow and it's also glimmery because I sprayed it with GM Marshmallow. The flower is just a layer of sticker including the leaf.

These are actually scraps from all the MME LO's I've been doing plus a few more irregular shaped chipboards from my old stash again.

Cheers!
Cathy

Quick Share

Just wanted to quickly share this layout I made for this week's sketch over at Scrapbook Challenges. I used some MME So Sophie Papers on here.

Close up of the upright corner. The white flourish is a Melissa Frances vintage embellishment. One of the goodies from my prize pack.

 

 Close up of the title. The stems and flowers are rubons. 

Close up of the flowers (Prima), the bling (Prima) and the frame is also from Melissa Frances.

Cheers!
Cathy

Endless Stairs

I recently bought a few papers from Little Yellow Bicycle's Clothesline collection and I'm glad to put them to use. Love the yellow on the paper that match the yellow jacket Gio was wearing on the picture. This is also a sketch from Creative Scrappers.

 

Used a Tim Holtz Mask which I misted with Maya Road mist. Then the chipboard is from Tattered Angels and misted with Glimmer mist.  

Added crackle paint on the corder and a rubon too. There is also a shadow stamp underneath the paper that reads tourist. The title is also a Tattered angels alpha which has a resist on it - I misted it with GM chalkboard.  It really is more opaque than glimmer mist so the colors really just pops.

On the bottom right corner I pleated the tape measuer which I cut out from one the papers too. Put crakcle and stamp all over it.

Materials Used:

PPS: Little Yellow Bicycle Clothesline

Embellisments: Tattered Angels chipboard, 7 Gypsies Rubon, TA Heidi Swapp Alpha stickers, MM small alpha stickers

Inks: Glimmer Mists, Maya Road mist, Crackle Paint, Colorbox Ink, Staz On

Tools: 7 Gypsies stamps, Fiskars border punch

I remember...

Just want to quickly share a layout I made for MME's current challenge - I Remember.  I found this picture of Gio from our Big Day and it was perfect for the papers I chose so I went for it. This layout designed itself naturally, by that I mean working with these papers just comes naturally. I've always loved nertrals so I guess that was it.

And the close ups...

The butterfly was a Maya Road chipboard, the base was misted with Maya Road too and the top is painted with Shimmerz Blingz.

I loved layering those journaling card.

This title is a Silhouette die cut which I misted with GM Marshmallow. Its just glittery in person and I love it.

Materials Used:

PPS: MME So Sophie

Embellishment: Silhouette die cut, MME Journaling cards and border strip, Buttons, Blings

Inks: Distress inks, Glimmer Mist, MR Mist, Shimmerz Blingz

Tools: Fiskars & EK Success border punches, Silhouette SD, Fiskars circle punches

Cheers!

Cathy

Forbidden City

Just wanted to share again a layout I finished yesterday. I am still using MME's So Sophie line, still have a lot and I'm enjoying it so you'll see more. :)

I used a chipboard frame here from Technique Tuesday which I covered with pps. The die cut leaves is a Silhouette cutout and it was stamped and inked with distress inks.

Close up of the title work. I added a Prima trim on top of the border punched paper. The word "precious memories' is from my old stash - a rubon from Fancy Pants

Big Prima flower here. I added a bling and a few more rubons. I really liked this layout for some reason. I love the colors I worked with I guess.

 

Materials Used:

PP: MME So Sophie line

Embellisments: Prima flower, MM alpha, Pink Paislee Alpha, Fancy Pants rubons, Prima bling and trim, AC chipboard, MM vintage findings journaling spot

Inks: Distress Inks

Tools: Silhouette, Martha Stewart border punch

I'm a little tired today so no scrapping for me. Just updating my blog and browsing the internet.

Cheers!

Cathy

MME So Sophie Line

Just wanted to quickly share a layout I made using MME's So Sophie line. Still using the RAK my dearest friend LG gave me. On here I used the sketch over at Sketch Inspiration.

I wanted to share that I also got my Melissa Frances' prize today. It was tons!!!! Literally tons! Will share some soon and do a giveaway because I cannot possibly consume it. And of course I will also share the doubles to my friend LG. I still cannot find the SD card I used to take pics of it so I couldn't share a photo.

Close up of the title and the flowers I layered plus the rubons I used in the corner of the page. I also painted the edge of the cardstock.

The journaling spot and some buttons.

Materials Used:

PP: AC CS, MME So Sophie

Embellishments: MME Journaling spots, border cut outs, Fancy Pants rubons, Prima flowers, Misc trims and buttons, Silhouette die cuts

Inks: Distress Inks, Shimmerz Blingz

Tools: Silhouette SD

Cheers!

Cathy

Long Weekend

So... we celebrated Gio'g birthday last Thursday. We had lunch at Sofitel - Sprial Restaurant. It was a sumptouous buffet and we got really really full. We chatted there for a long while, the ambience and the view was just perfect. Unfortunatley, I couldn't find the SD card that I used then so I could't post any picture.

The celebration didn't end there though. We were scheduled to go to an overnight stay at Club Balai Isabel in Talisay Batangas (beside the Taal Lake) but the Volcano was acting up and there were warnings for those who live near the lake so we decided not to go. It was a trip that Gio's sister arranged along with her whole family and my mother-in-law.  Though it was late though when we cancelled his sister was still able to book another vacation at Subic Forest View Village. So that's where we spent saturday through Sunday.

We drove home Sunday around 12 noon and I drove the new car (Hyundai Tucson). It was my first time and it was a 2.5-hr drive. It was fine but I don't find it as easy to handle as my car (Honda Civic). Anyhow, we were able to totally relax there in Subic. Had lots of sleep and good food. LOL :)

And on the same day (Sunday) was Gio's treat for the whole family (his and mine). All 25 of us had dinner at Kanin Club (UP tech hub), it was our family's way of spending time togther. Eating good food, hehehe... And then we all had coffee and crepe at Cafe Breton. By the time we got home, we were tired but really happy.

So no scrapping projects done for me on that long weekend. So on Monday I finished one and a half page. I used the remaining crate pp I have of the brook colleciton. I really loved the colors and it's style. I also made three doily projects like that of Christine Middlecamps' current project. If you want ot check it out here's her blog: http://retrospection.typepad.com/my_weblog.  Her tutorials on this project is really amazing! Makes you wonder how she thinks of those stuff. :)  I also used sketch 67 over at The Scrappiest.

Close up of the title and the die cuts from my Silhouette machine. These die cuts were all in white (I cut my designs in advance all in white) and I just cover them with what color I need using different mists. The background was inked with distress inks, the frame with Tsukineko walnut ink and the crown-like with Glimmer mist.

Cut outs from the paper and some cardstock and chipboard stickers from the same collection.

These are the three-doily like projects I made. It took me hours to complete these three but I'm happy with the results. These are layers of chipboards, die cuts, sitckers, etc.

Materials Used:

PP: Create Brook Collection, BG Basics

Embellisments: CS and chipbpard stickers, Silhouette die cuts, blings, trims

Inks: Glimmer Mist, Distress Inks, Tsukineko Walnut Ink

Tools: Silhouette SD, Fiskars border punch

Hope y'all had a good weekend like I did. :)

Cheers!

Cathy

Gio's Special Day

It's Gio's birthday today. I didn't go to work last night so we could welcome his special day together hugging... So we did, I gave him the card at 12 midnight and he loved it! He actually thought I bought it because he said it looks so beautiful and professionally done! That made me really smile...

We're off to have lunch out today, I hope he poses and smiles for the camera later.

Here he is, the man that captured my heart and soul...

Love him dearly.

New Challenge

My dearest friend LG has a new design team and it is called Color Combos Galore. I was immediately inspired by the color combo for this week and still into my "shabby" mojo so I decided to use my prima stacks and here is the finished layout and some closeups. I also used the sketch over at Sketch Inspiration.

This is the corner flower which I brushed with Shimmerz Blingz.

Close up of the title work and the cutouts which I misted with Glimmer mist Patina.The border at the bottom is stamped and then topped with a Silhouette die cut.

This is the close up of the flower which I misted with the same patina color and painted the tips with Shimmerz Blingz. THe butterflies were cut outs from another Prima paper.

The background of the photo is another prima paper which I traced and cut out using the colorbox ink case. And the yellow border die cut is cut from Silhouette again.

Materials:

PP: Prima Shabby Chic, Raspberry Tea collection, WRMK CS

Embellisments: Prima Stickers, Silhouette die cuts

Alpha: Prima Stickers

Inks: Glimmer Mist, Shimmerz, Colorbox Inks

Tools: Silhouette, Hampton Art Stamp

Hope you all are having a great week!

Cheers Everyone!

Cathy