Sneak Peak

Here's a sneak peak of the Little Ambassadors for Christ concert this Saturday, December 20 at The Good Samaritan United Methodist Church. The kids have been practicing for more than two months in preparation for the concert. Last November 15, they sang during the worship services in our church. I am already excited because Bujoi has his solo part in this concert.

So what happened

to my weight loss attempts? I have lost 5 lbs from my initial weight of 134 lbs. But since I had my vacation from December 12, I felt that it all came back and I felt I have gained additional weight. And to think, Christmas season is just starting....

Happy Birthday Studio Azul

Studio Azul, the Philippines first and only kit club celebrated its first anniversary last November. I have been a subscriber eversince so it means that I have more or less 12 kits since I also buy add on kits from time to time. Here are some of my layouts from Studio Azul.

January 2008 - Super Nova
December 2007 Kit - Pasko Na Naman
September 2007 Limited Edition Kit - Isn't It Romantic

September Limited Edition Kit - Red Red Wine April 2008 Kit - Going Postal

CY Design Team Call

Creatively Yours is looking for new designers. View complete announcement here.

Two Layouts Same Photo

Hope everyone had a great halloween. My kids had a blast trick or treating in my office and their dad's office.

Here are two layouts I created for my boys. I normally create two layouts for pictures of my two boys together since they will be going to two different albums.

Here is a layout I did recently.

Meanwhile, here is a layout I did last year using the same photos.


Not only that my style has evolved but there have been lots of available products in the market recently.

Friday Is Weigh In Day

I was able to lose the half pound I gained last week. It only means that I've reached a point where my exercise and my food intake is almost at equilibrium. Either I have to increase my exercise or reduce my food intake to be able to shed off additional weight.

Another option is to try Fit 'n Right.An officemate drinks Fit 'n Right. Well I said, I might give it a try. However, there is a fine print that the recommended consumption be 3 servings a day and with proper diet and exercise to be able to lose 16% of body fat in 6 weeks.

The study was conducted among professionals ages 19-30.I am doing the math. Fit 'n Right costs P25 for retail at 7-11. My investment is 3150 for 6 weeks of trial. It will be cheaper to buy in groceries.I might give it a try to prove that it works for my age bracket too. Let us see after 6 weeks.

Start Weight: 134 lbs
Current Weight: 133 lbs
Total Weight Loss to Date: 1 lb
Personal Goal: 120 lbs
Overall Goal: 115 lbs
Weight to Lose: 14 lbs
Weigh In Day - Friday Morning

Monday food diary:Breakfast - rice, egg and tomato omelette, mcdo hamdesal with egg and cheese, hash brown
Lunch - paella, shepherd's pie at mom and tina's bakeshop in perea
Dinner - half cup rice and pork nilagaSnacks - 2 pcs mini empanada
Water - 8 glassess..

Exercise journal: walking back and forth from office to perea

Tuesday food diary:Breakfast - half cup rice and tocino
Lunch - hotshots burger at the enterprise
Dinner - pansit and a slice of cake
Snacks -
Water - 8 glasses

Exercise journal: threadmill and weights!! yes, back to the gym!!!

Wednesday food diary:
Breakfast - half cup rice and egg; pandesal with butter
Lunch - half cup rice, pork nilaga
Dinner - pansit and bbqSnacks - taquitos and salad
Water - 4 glasses

Thursday food diary:
Breakfast - beef tapa, half rice
Lunch - half cup rice, adobo and sayote
Dinner - 3 slices pizza (bad!!!)
Water - 6 cups
Snacks - muesli

Friday food diary:
Breakfast - one cup rice, chicken wings
Lunch - muesli
Dinner - one pc chicken at kfc
Snack - spaghetti
Water - 4 glasses

Layouts Galore

Here are some layouts I have finished in the past and not so distant past.

I used my Read Between the Vines punch for the edges. I am so happy I got this toy from Scrapbooks Hawaii. I used Bad Girls March Kit for these two layouts. I am always happy with how Wendy comes up with her kit. I never have to worry about mixing papers and embellishment. All I need is a picture.

Another layout using punch and emboss puncher from Fiskars. Really love cool punching toys from Fiskars.

Using Bad Girls February Kit and experimenting with some of my stuff - glimmer mist, ranger distress ink, chipboard and grungeboard alphas.

I love the effect of glimmer mist over grungeboard alphas.
And the effect of radiant rain sprayed on chipboard painted with Ranger Distress Crackle paint.

Friday Is Weigh In Day

I forgot my food journal in my office PC. I will post them on Monday. The reason I am posting my food and exercise journal is for me to keep track of my food intake and exercise routine and make me more accountable of this weight loss project.

And so true, I did not do much walking this week and loaded so much food that I have gained half a pound. I was a little bit sad as I stepped down the weighing scale. Next week I am planning to do much better.

All In A Day!

Up to now, I do not have a defined scrapping style. And true enough, last Sunday, I was able to create extremely different layouts.

This layout is my interpretation of Noella's Sketch #36. One of her designer's resigned due to family commitments. I was so glad when Noella asked me to fill in the position. Amy has done a great job. I am just not worthy to fit in.
And this layout is my interpretation of Stuck Sketch #61.
All in a day, I was able to create a layout that is vintage and another that is bright, fun and funky.

Gallstone Flush - Success!!!

My attempt to do gallstone flush was a success! Ish and I are now on the second year of doing this. My first attempt was not successful because I broke one procedure - Procedure # 2, on the sixth day, take no dinner. I was just too scared to have empty stomach and get hungry by night so I ate at around 5 pm. The following day, I did not find any green stones.This time around, I almost gave up on my 6th day. The epsom salt solution and the lemon-olive oil solution just made it too difficult for me. I really felt throwing up! I even told Husband that I'd be more willing to go on surgery. Just kidding. After having the epsom salt solution, I felt my stomach is really grumbling. Epsom salt is a laxative, that is why. Last night and early morning, I had several trips to the bathroom. It only stopped when the stones finally went out. What a relief. I did it. It's all worth it. I may not be looking forward to doing it next year but definitely I will do it again.

Here's the process.

REMOVING GALLSTONES NATURALLY
by Dr Lai Chiu-Nan

It has worked for many. If it works for you please pass on the good news. Chiu Nan is not charging for it, so we should make it free for everyone. Your reward is when someone, through your word of mouth, benefits from the regime. Gallstones may not be everyone's concern. But they should be because we all have them. Moreover, gallstones may lead to cancer. "Cancer is never the first illness," Chiu Nan points out. "Usually, there are a lot of other problems leading to cancer. In my research in China, I came across some materials which say that people with cancer usually have stones. We all have gallstones. It's a matter of big or small, many or few. One of the symptoms of gallstones is a feeling of bloatedness after a heavy meal. You feel like you can't digest the food. If it gets more serious, you feel pain in the liver area." So if you think you have gallstones, Chiu Nan offers the following method to remove them naturally.

The treatment is also good for those with a weak liver, because the liver and gallbladder are closely linked.

Regimen:
1. For the first five days, take four glasses of apple juice every day. Or eat four or five apples, whichever you prefer. Apple juice softens the gallstones. During the five days, eat normally.
2. On the sixth day, take no dinner.

3. At 6 PM, take a teaspoon of Epsom salt (magnesium sulphate) with a glass of warm water.

4. At 8 PM, repeat the same. Magnesium sulphate opens the gallbladder ducts.

5. At 10 PM, take half cup olive oil (or sesame oil) with half cup fresh lemon juice. Mix it well and drink it. The oil lubricates the stones to ease their passage.
PS. 1cup=250ml, 1 cup lemon juice=3 lemons (aprox.)

The next morning, you will find green stones in your stools. "Usually they float," Chiu Nan notes. "You might want to count them. I have had people who passes 40, 50 or up to 100 stones. Very many. Even if you don't have any symptoms of gallstones, you still might have some. It's always good to give your gall bladder a clean-up now and then. "

Friday is weigh in day

I've loaded so much this week and at the same time I was not able to do my daily walking for two days. But I was surprised when I stepped on the weighing scale. I was not expecting I'd shed some pounds off.

Start Weight: 134 lbs
Current Weight: 133 lbs
Total Weight Loss to Date: 1 lb
Personal Goal: 120 lbs
Overall Goal: 115 lbsWeight to Lose: 14 lbs
Weigh In Day - Friday Morning

Monday food diary:
Breakfast - one serving lomi
Lunch - Dad's ultimate buffet with ice cream dessert
Dinner - funnel cake from S&R, 3 bites of S&R pepperoni pizzaSnacks - boy bawang, toasted peanut
Water - 5 glasses

Tuesday food diary:
Breakfast - one pc pancake, half cup rice
Lunch - half cup rice, nilagang buto buto
Dinner - half cup rice and left over nilagang buto buto
Snacks - 4 pcs apple - for gall stone flush
Water - 6 glasses

Wednesday food diary:
Breakfast - half cup rice, porkchop
Lunch - green tomato pasta
Dinner - pansit, salad, pan de manila pandesal with ham and egg
Snacks - 4 pcs apples - gall stone flush
Water - 6 glasses

Thursday food diary:
Breakfast - half cup rice and fried fish
Lunch - half cup rice and pork giniling
Dinner - 2 slices shakey's pepperoni pizzawater - 4 cupssnacks - 4 pcs apples - gall stone flush

Friday food diary:
Breakfast - pork tocino
Lunch - persia grill tenderloindinner -snack - 4 pcs applewater - 3

I did not go to the gym this week but I still continue walking few blocks every lunch time. It works for me.

Almost Friday!

This week may not be as good as last week. I started Monday having Dad's Ultimate Buffet for lunch, c/o October birthday celebrators from our team. Of course who can resist Japanese buffet? And to end my meal, I just have to give in and indulge in ice cream topped with marshmallows, sprinkles and chocolate fudge. Yum. I feel like a kid again.

I knew it's coming

but I did not expect it too soon. Quarterly exams that is. Last week we did not get any notification that this week is Bujoi's quarterly exam week. So I was surprised that last Friday, they do not have homework and all the more I was surprise at 2 am Tuesday morning, I was checking his diary for any announcement or homework, I found the dreaded notice.

And so I panicked as I prepare his reviewers. I use to have a week to prepare for this and now, I only have few hours. And what's worst, I have to force him to answer all those reviewers in one sitting. Talk about information overload. And knowing Bujoi, you can't really have him sit down for 30 minutes to study. He cannot focus, his mind is wandering and thinking about toys and playing. Well, he is just four years old.

For three straight nights, I am working on his reviewer. There's really so much to catch up on this quarter since most of his lessons are new. The first quarter was more of a review of the previous year's lessons so it was easier to both of us.

O well, wish us luck this time.

I still managed to update my webshots account and upload all my finished layouts. Just check them here.

It's been a while

since I have shared some layouts. Here is one I did for Embellished August Monthly Sketch

Materials used: Basic Grey and Crate Papers, Chatterbox ribbon, Queen and Co Felt, Making Memories Journalling spot, Making Memories Letter Stickers, Making Memories Chipboard Stickers, American Crafts Pen and Chipboard Alphas, Hambly Overlay.

And here is my interpretation of Stuck Sketch #59.

Materials used: Basic Grey, Pink Paislee Die cut border, American Crafts Chipboard and Vinyl Alpha Stickers, Bam Pop Frame, Making Memories Letter Stickers, American Crafts Pen

November Guest Designer Call at CY

Creatively Yours sketch blog is looking for November Guest Designer. Click here to view the announcement.

Friday is weigh in day

All the hardwork (walking and cutting off rice) and commitment paid off. I just need to sustain what I have started. This morning, I was surprised when I stepped on our clinic's weighing scale and it read 135 lbs. Yup. I lost 3 lbs from 138 last week. All I can ask myself is - Is that possible? Probably because my clothes are lighter this week than last week. I remember I was wearing jeans last week and I am wearing a capri pants now. I have to wear the same pants for next week's weigh in day.

Start Weight: 134 lbs
Current Weight: 135 lbs
Total Weight Loss to Date: -1 lb
Personal Goal: 120 lbs
Overall Goal: 115 lbs
Weight to Lose: 18
Weign In Day - Friday Morning

Monday food diary:
Breakfast - half cup of rice and egg
Lunch - 3/4 cup of rice; pork adobo and ginisang ampalaya; buko juice
Dinner - Pepper lunch - 3/4 cup and salmon; fresh lumpia
Snacks - custard cake
Water -

Monday exercise journal:
Threadmill; Weights

Tuesday food diary:
Breakfast - half cup rice, coffee, longanisa
Lunch - half cup rice, chopsuey, dairy queen mud pie blizzard
Dinner - corn, half cup rice, sinigang, grapefruit juice
Snacks - chips
Water - 5 glasses


Wednesday food diary:
Breakfast - half cup rice, longanisa, grapefruit juice
Lunch - half cup rice; sinigang (leftover from last night)
Dinner - pansit, salad, pan de manila pandesal with ham and egg
Snacks - razon's halo halo
Water - 5 glasses

Thursday food diary:
Breakfast - 2 slice bread with peanut butter
Lunch - half cup rice and pinakbet, grape fruit juice, coffee
dinner - mcdo cheeseburger, regular fries and regular coke
water - 8 cups

Friday food diary:
Breakfast - half cup rice, tortang giniling
Lunch - Yakisoba
dinner -
snack - 4 pcs apple
water - 3 cups

Almost everyday, I walk 3 blocks back and forth from office to Landmark. Just to shed off those pounds...

Almost

Friday! I cannot wait to find out what the weighing scale will tell me this time. I have been walking few blocks for the whole week and already very eager to find out the result. Aside from walking, I've cut down on rice..but not on junkie though. For this week, I ate chips and junk for three days. And had to give in to my sweet tooth cravings...

Everyone Can Travel!

Find out more on how Backpacking Guru, Mr. Robert Alejandro & Mr.Jethro Rafael did it for 10 WEEKS, covering 9 COUNTRIES for P50,000.

Catch them in the Backpacking Festival on the following dates & venue:

October 10 & 11 - TriNoma

October 17 & 18 - R.O.X.

October 25 & 26 - Alabang Town Center (Sports, Fitness & Hobbies)

There will be FREE workshops on Backpacking 101, Travel Photography,Sketching as well as forums on Couch Surfing & How to Pack.

If you or your friends wish to join the FREE workshop, simply register by sending the following :

"name/mobile number/email addressworkshop date"via E-mail to :pinoybackpacking@ yahoo.com

OR via text to :0926.6933.783

Come & join this event co-produced with the Ayala Malls.

If you really want to do something, you'll find a way. If you don't, you'll find an excuse." - Jim Rohn

Friday is weigh in day

Since I have decided to lose weight, I tried to list down my food intake for the day and try to do a little bit of exercise.

Here's my food intake for the week:

Monday food diary:
Breakfast - a bowl of oatmeal
Lunch - cup of rice; kare kare; fish fillet and chicken; iced tea
Dinner - salad
Snacks - custard cake

No wonder I am not losing weight.

Monday exercise journal:Threadmill and Weight training

Tuesday food diary:
Breakfast - one serving porridge
Lunch - beef topping
Dinner - salad
Snacks - asado roll
Water - 4 glasses

Wednesday food diary:
Breakfast - bread; one serving melon
Lunch - half cup rice; sinigang
Dinner - half cup rice; sinigang (obviously, leftover from lunch)
Snacks - mango
Water - 4 cups

Thursday food diary:
Breakfast - champorado and tuyo and one serving melon
Lunch - 1 cup rice and caldereta
Dinner - 1 cup rice and dinengdeng
Water - 8 cups

Thursday exercise journal: Walking around the block approximately 5000 steps, which is just half the required 1000 steps

Friday food diary
Breakfast - Tuna Pasta and bread
Lunch - Tuna Pasta
Dinner - Pizza and Coke
Water - 4 glasses

Friday exercise journal: Walking around the block

Weight for the week: 138 lbs

Alone

A dear friend left on a business trip to Kazachstan. She will be there for more than one month. Prior to my move to Makati earlier this year, it'w been months or years that we never had the chance to get together. She is usually on a business trip and I'd understand that on occasions that she's here, it's a time to make up for her family.

Phen is high school and college classmate and long time bestfriend. And now that we were few buildings away, We often had lunch together and sometimes go to tiangge for some good finds. Before she left, our last bonding activity was a trip to a nearby salon to get a haircut.

Now for the next two months, I am faced with the reality that no more lunch outs, no more trip to tiangge. But these are not the only things I will miss. It is the company of a long time friend. Someone I am very comfortable with and just being me when I am with her.

Wanna be

I have always been drawn to art - music, painting, drawing, writing - but art never finds its way through me... until i discovered photography. Now I have a medium to express my love for art. With the lens as my canvass, i can paint the beauty of God's creation, my children's pretty smiles and glowing eyes; all the things that surround me and everything i wanted captured and framed.

Photo courtesy of my idol and friend alan borras 1/2007

I really admire those who are very passionate about this hobby and has an eye for art. Me, I am just too lazy to bring my camera and shoot. And if ever I brought my camera, I am not so trigger happy.

And normally, I do not post my pictures online. I just don't think they are worth sharing. And just yesterday, some friends were asking for my shots. And I just have to give in.

Here are some of my wanna be attempts:

These pictures were taken using point and shoot camera.. Too bad I did not bring my SLR camera on my trip to Shanghai.

Doesn't really look like I have what it takes to be one.

Creatively Yours Sketch #29

Sketch #29 is now up at Creatively Yours. Head on over to the blog to see the beautiful creations of the resident DTs.

Materials used: Studio Azul Going Postal (April Kit), additional materials - MM noteworthy die cuts

34/34

When it comes to losing weight, i am really a loser. Three weeks ago, I seriously planned on losing weight. I wrote down my starting weight, my current weight, my personal goal and my overall goal. I planned my exercises for the week and note down all my food intake. I was able to sustain only for one week. Going through my food diary, I must say that I am bound to fail. And truly, I am not only far from my goal, but worst is I am getting farther and farther away. I gained 4 lbs since my initial weigh in. I was 134 and now, I am 138. For health reasons, I have to take this seriously. Otherwise, my number will be 34/34...meaning my waistline is 34 at 34 years old...or it could get worst I will end up with serious health problems just because I am overweight.

Visit to the Dentist

Last Saturday was my kids the semi-annual dental visit. Kuya Bujoi got used to seeing Dr. Eric Hernandez that for the second time, he sat on the dental chair on his own. Dr. Eric even gave him a mirror so that Kuya can watch what he is doing with his teeth.

Joie was left outside the play area while waiting for his turn. He was a little bit scared at first, unlike our previous visit this year, but soon felt comfortable after seeing Sponge Bob on the TV. One thing I like about Dr. Eric is that he can really make his patients feel so comfortable by making friends with the kids and getting to their interests. He had stickers ready to be given away to remove the fright in the kids. And he has this TV on the ceiling so that kids can watch TV while he is doing his works on the kids’ mouth.

Sunday morning, on our way to church, Joie was like playing with me. He pretends he is a dentist cleaning my teeth. He even turned on the light inside the car as if you’re really in a dental chair. How smart is that.

Not Bad

After few months of blogging, I can say that I was not as bad as I initially thought I would be.

I noticed that I have never been posting layouts recently. So here you go.




I made this layout using several pieces of scrap papers. I just cannot threw them away even if the papers are as small as 2x2 or 1x1 inch. After adhering the tiny scraps of paper in random, I used Heidi Swapp butterfly mask and Ranger Distress Ink to create the butterfly image. To unify the page, I sprayed all over the page with Memories Mist. After spraying my Tim Holtz grungeboard alpha with Glimmer mist, I applied stickles on the swirls to give extra dimension






Materials used: Heidi Swapp butterfly mask and photo corner, Ranger Distress Ink, Tim Holtz grunge alpha, DCWV boy quotes; 3BIAR die cut label; memories mist spray; Fancy pants designs Felt shape; Glimmer mist; stickles






Here is a layout I created for Creatively Yours. I am so glad to be a Guest Design Team member for the month of September.






Noella asked me to do a layout for her 6X12 Sketch #4. And for the very first time, I've got to try doing a 6x12 layout. Right in time, as I found some very old pictures of me and my friends when I was doing some clean up. So I decided somehow to make a mini album for those pictures. I have several corrugated board from various boxes that I cannot dispose and that makes a very useful base for the mini album I have in mind.

Materials used: Websters Pages paper; Prima flowers; DCWV rubons; Pink Paislee alpha stickers; American Crafts Rub On alphas; Queen and Co felt; Making Memories journalling notebook; Colorbox chalkpad; Making Memories Paints; Prima Say It in Crystals; American Crafts Slick Writer; Corrugated Board;

I also had the chance to make a card layout for her Card Sketch #15.

Materials used: DCWV Rub on; Heidi Swapp flower; Bazzil flower; Karen Foster circular brad; American Crafts rubon alphas; Queen and Company Felt; Provo craft patterned paper.

It was totally an honor designing for Creatively Yours. I received another Sketch from Noella so watch out for it.

That's all for now. Hope I was able to provide you some inspiration with these layouts.

98/100

A week before their first quarterly exam, Bujoi was sick. But this boy is just so amazing that he scored 98/100 on the exam. I am one proud mom!!!

Am I a listener?

Maybe I am not. I have noticed that most of the time, I interrupt when someone is talking and challenge what someone said and sometimes find the negative in the things that were said. Why can’t I just let the person finish the statement before saying a word. After all, we should treat everyone with respect, including those who are talking.

If I agree with the statement, I should wait for my turn to talk and if I disagree with what has been said, all the more I should wait, because with a few more minutes delay, I can think over and come up with a better way to say it or better yet, even find something good with have been said.

And reading a friend’s email, I came across this message at the end of his mail:

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. (Ephesians 4:29)

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (Colossians 4:6)


What a coincidence. I believe it is time to time to learn a better communication style. And what is better than listening first and then thinking of the best way to say it and say it positively

Stewardship Month

August is the Stewardship Month in our church. Stewardship is not only all about tithing and giving to church. It is more of managing what has been entrusted to you. Imagine, we came on earth with nothing and only lived through God's provision. All that we have, all the things we have learned, experience, everything belongs to him. I know this is an area of my life that I need to surrender to God. Whenever I have given to the church, I felt like I have done my obligation and I have been a good steward. But that is not enough. God has dealt with me with the way I handle and manage what He has entrusted me – my family, job, finances, time, talent.

And so I prayed and this morning surrendered this area of my life to Him. I know God is with me and will bless me as I go through times of transition.

A Promising Soloist

Bujoi has a passion for singing. I remember during my pregnancy, I joined practices for the December 2003 cantata. Maybe that's where it all begun. As early as two years old, he is already part of the children's choir in our church - the Little Ambassadors for Christ. We live in Taguig while our church is in Quezon City. He has to sacrifice some of his Saturday playtimes just to attend practice in Quezon City.

Two Sundays ago, we celebrated Parent's Day in our church. What a better way to pay tribute to parents having the Little Ambassadors for Christ rendering a special song. This is the first time that the kids performed with a parent. A parent-child duet was assigned for each service. During the Tagalog service, Ish and Bujoi had a duet on the first two paragraphs of the song. This is not the first time that Bujoi was given a solo part in the song, but this time, he really shined and with much confidence, he sang his part.

I am one proud momma! And the best part is, Ish told me that Nanette Inventor, a well-known singer-actress-comedienne, approached Ish and told him " Your son ha! He is a promising soloist". Do I hear a celebrity in the house?

Going to Round 5 at Embellished Idol

I cannot believe I have gone this far. Together with two Filipna scrappers - Helga and Cookie - we are moving to Round 5. Helga and Cookie have won several competitions already so I am really happy that I am still part of the challenge.



Here is my layouts for Round 3 - Scrap your motto off the page (without using paper as background). I altered CDs using alcohol inks, used pictures which will not fit any layout I plan to make in the future. I plan to hang this in my desk at the office to remind me to think about What Would Jesus Do in any circumstances I face.
Materials Used: CDs, Tim Holtz Alpha Grungeboard;KI Memories Lace Cardstock; TH Distress Ink; Glimmer Mist; Maya Road, American Crafts and Basic Grey chipboards; Sizzix dies; Fancy pants felt; Making Memories and Li'l Davies metallic paints; Ranger Stickles; Ranger Alcohol Inks; Judikins Amazing Glaze; misc ribbons; Ranger Holographic embossing powder; Versa Color gold.






Here is my layout for Round 4 - Use stitching to adhere all your page elements. Yes, all page elements including the photos. This one is tough because I don't have a sewing machine which means I have to handstitched everything.

Materials used: Fancy pants chipboard, felt and papers; Daisy Ds, Chatterbox papers; DMC Thread; Misc Fibers, Buttons and Ribbons; Making Memories Journalling Tag; American Crafts foan flowers;

Quarterly exams

Bujoi is on his second year in Junior Casa and I am still in denial that he is actually on a formal education. Since JC1, he's been spending time doing his homework and reviewing for exams. To think, he should be enjoying his childhood, playing and sleeping. Just the regular carefree childhood days I had. Looking back, I cannot even remember what I was doing at his age then.

And now, it's the time of the year - the first quarter exam. The quarterly exams are one of the school activities I dread most. I spend hours and hours going through his book preparing his reviewers few nights before the exam. Aside from that I have to drag Bujoi out of his playing time to sit down and review. We sit down for 15 minutes and off he goes again. I do not want to pressure him with the exams. For him to cooperate and just go through the lesson are much more than I expect from him. And Bujoi never fails to disappoint us because I can see that he knows and understands his lessons.

But still, I think he should grow up as a normal child who enjoyed his childhood. We do the review just to ensure that he understands his lessons and for us parents to be assured that we get what we pay for =). Whatever reward we get from it will just be icing on the cake.

I am feeling lucky

I survived two rounds of the Embellished Idol. We are now at round 3 and the challenge is to scrap your motto without using paper as a base. Here are my entries to round 1 and round 2.

For Round 1, we were given a Sketch. The requirement is minimum of 10 photos, title and creative frame. I wanted to reflect the festive feel of the party in my layout and for the creative frame, I used 3d paints to make it like icing on the cake. I also used oil paint for the background to get the 3d feel of the paint.

For Round 2, the challenge is to use mask and go artsy with colors. I used acrylic paint as a medium, painted with the colors of sky, clouds and trees. I used circular mask to create my sun. I handcut the grass, the trees and the clouds.

Something Old...Something New

For almost three years of scrapbooking, I have accumulated so much stash that either I totally forgot about them or forgot where I kept them. My stash is growing and my space cannot keep up with it. But despite this fact, I still cannot resist shopping. I have so many old papers, old embellishments and what-have-yous that I cannot disposed of, thinking how much fortune it cost me. So I decided that once in a while, I will mix something new from my stash with those that are already accumulating dust, waiting for me to take a second look and pick them up. So here you go, a layout made of Provo Craft papers from The Slab, Chatterbox papers, Karen Foster brads matched with Hambly rubons, Maya Journalling tag, Heidi Swapp chipboard letters, riff raff chipboards, glimmer mist and radiant rain mist, and Jenni Bowlin journalling tag. Come on, dig out those papers and what-have-yous and look at your recently purchased items and stretch your creativity.

Thanks to MaBuglet from ACOT for picking up the Provo Craft Papers, Glimmer Mist and Maya Road Journalling tags in my Use Your Stash Challenge list.

I cannot believe it

Finally, I have a blog...Let see if I can keep up with this...