style me {pretty}

Hello blog peeps! I have been gone way too long. Yes, I can go on and on about the many reasons I have been remissed with my blog posts, but why bother, huh? The important is I am here to share with you my stories and creations.

My share today is about the wedding of my good friend Lily last August to her long time beau, Randy. Early on she asked me to be one of her secondary sponsors to which I said yes to. However, what excited me the most was when she sought my help to wrap and pretty up her wedding tokens for the sponsors, entourage & guests. As you will see in the photo below, I did my best to dress up the plain white boxes that housed the solar flashlights she gave away. Later on, she informed me that many of her guests didn't want to unwrap the gifts because they felt they were too pretty to ruin.

I also made "Thank You" cards for their wedding sponsors.

In keeping with her color motif, I used an eggplant colored cardstock as the background for the sentiment. I kept it very simple by adding a crystal heart on top of the "O".

That's it for now. I'll be back real soon. PROMISE!

For The Boys

Hello peeps! How are you all doing? I just wanted to pop in with a quick share. Don't want you guys thinking I've been slacking off with my paper crafting. If you recall, I made a carry along mini brag book for my soon-to-arrive niece, a couple of posts back. Now, here's the male version of it...

Dreams Come True

Zooooom!

Three more days and it's October. Where did the time go? To be honest, I don't have any paper craft projects to post because I haven't been making any. Why? Just not in the mood for it lately. However, I can't not let this month pass without having at least one entry for September.

Two things I enjoy doing: crafting & writing. And last July, I was given an opportunity to do both in an article I wrote for Northern Living Magazine, August issue.

Seeing my work printed in a glossy publication was exhilarating and surreal. It's a dream come true.

P.S. Notice anything new here? =)

M is for Miley {Rose}

It was six months ago when your Papa and Mama first told me about you. They were filled with pride and happiness as I talked to them over the phone. I was ecstatic not only for them, but for the entire family because God has blessed us once more with a precious gift.

Of course, at that time, no one knew what your gender would be yet, but we all wished for a girl most especially your brother, Elijah.

Lo and behold! All our wishes came true a month ago.

From then on, I've racked my brain trying to come up with something I can make that will show how I love you so much already even if you're just a teeny tiny pea in your mama's tummy.

Take a look at what I came up with. Can you guess what it is?

It's your first mini scrapbook. Each of the pages contain pockets where your mom can slip in your photo for each of the months of your first year.

As you can see, there are 12 pages after the front cover, one for each month of the year. It measures 3" x 6" making it very handy for your mom to carry it along in her bag so she can show it off to her friends and brag about you.

I decorated it with colorful stamped animals and assorted buttons. I've even added tabs and provided plenty of journaling spaces where your mom can write anecdotes about your growth and development.

Everything is bound together with a clip ring which I've embellished with pretty ribbons.

I hope one day, as you flip through this album, you will feel my joy and exuberance on your impending birth as I patiently cut, crookedly sewed, and carefully pasted each element in this album. I love you and am so terribly excited to meet you, Miley Rose!

Edit: I cased this project from Pine.

Enjoy The Ride

The color yellow always lifts my spirits. I noticed that I tend to gravitate to anything yellow in my closet when choosing my outfit for the day whenever I have the "blues". Mind you, it's not my favorite color, but it's my mom's fave color on me. She told me that she would often dress me up in yellow when I was a baby. Could this be why it makes me happy?

Well, last month I attended my friend Jessica's surprise 40th birthday dinner organized by her sweet husband. I know for sure that this thoughtful gesture made Jessica really happy.

Take a look at the card I made for her.

It just complimented the way I put together her gift.

Just making this ensemble put a smile on my face. Hope it did Jessica's as well.

{Belated} Mother's Day

I know it's is done and over with, but I can't pass up not sharing with you presents I gave to my mom, mother-in-law and all the other moms in my life who've chosen this very fulfilling vocation called motherhood on Mother's Day.

Besides my usual paper creations, this year I included special treats from my kitchen to give to these amazing women.

Since I've been trying to improve my baking skills lately I decided to make these delectable Mini Citrus Rum Cakes with Cream Cheese Glaze. The recipe is very straightforward which made it very easy to follow. Most importantly I had all the ingredients on hand.

I then placed each one inside a golden laminated box which I tied with abacca twine along with my very own handmade tag.

They are like little treasure chests, precious like the recipients.

{I love} Raine's Gift

Hello everyone! Yes! It's been ages since I made a post here and I missed it. However, before I go on I'd just like to mention that there were plenty of new visitors who dropped by while I was away. Well, whether it's intentional or by chance, I do hope you enjoyed what you saw and was entertained with what you read. Please visit me again and maybe you can drop me a line.

Now to continue...

I am excited to share with all of you a gift I recently received from my youngest sister Lorraine who resides in New Jersey. Like me, she is also an avid paper crafter.

Am sure many of you scrapbookers/cardmakers are familiar with it, but for those of you who are not, it's The Martha Stewart's Stewart Scoring Board.

I've no complaints against my scoring board and SU! bone folder. I've scored and folded dozens and dozens of all sorts of paper with them and they work just fine. However, after using my new toy I can say, "I ain't ever going back!" (Hahahaha! Ok, I'm exaggerating a bit.)

Reasons why I prefer thee:

1. The grooves on the scoring board occur every 1/8" which makes them closer together.
2. It comes with a triangular ruler that is very useful in making envelopes.
3. The bone folder that comes with it is much thinner resulting into crisper and more pronounced score lines.
4. The bone folder and the triangular ruler can be neatly tucked in their compartments within the score board which makes for easy storage.
5. It's from my baby sister!!!
 

S.O.S | In The Bag

In keeping with Alexis' spa themed party her guests beauty got to bring home some beauty essentials that were tucked inside these tumbler bags I made.

Check out the pampering goodies they got...
 

nail polish in bright bold colors

travel-size nail files

mini hand sanitizers & holders

and grooming kits

Seeing the girls' pretty smiles made putting these favors together truly worthwhile.

Edit: Thank you so much to my sister, Teena, 

for providing the Bath and Body products

and all the other goodies. Love ya!

 

{Happy} Sweet Sixteen

Guys, look at the invites I made for my daughter's sleepover spa party.

Alexis, a Pisces, was born on February 22, 1995. Her birthstone is Amethyst. It is associated with spirituality, wisdom, sobriety, and security. It is purple in color which happens to be my sweetie's favorite.

I decided to use Stampin' Up's Elegant Eggplant and Green Galore cardstocks as the base for these crisscross invitations. And the hearts from the coordinating designer papers add just the right amount of cuteness for both the invites and favor bags befitting a young lady's sweet sixteen party.

Drop by again later this week to see more of Alexis' S.O.S. party.

HVD

HAPPY HEARTS DAY!

Here's something that will surely keep the hearts of  bibliophiles aflutter.

As you can see, this small packet packs quite a punch.

Money {Gift} Holders

Hello blog peeps! I've been feeling yucky the past days due to my allergic rhinitis & itchy throat. It didn't help much that I also had to care for my youngest who was battling the same things plus a high fever. Uuuggghhh!

So, my share today is actually something I came up weeks prior.

Money holders is what they are.

Perhaps you've seen similar ones out there, but I've added something to my design which I think is quite ingenious.

I added a unique sticker label at the back where the names of the recipient and giver can be written in.

Your gift of money will surely be more appreciated wrapped in one of these.

Happy weekend everyone!

02.01.11 | A Present for Mom

Mothers always want to care for their children; to hug them and love them. Or simply just to be near them no matter what age they are. However, this was never the case for my mom.

She never had us with her all at one time while growing up most especially now that we're adults and have families of our own. It is also mainly because two of my siblings live in the other side of the world from us. Mom has to take an almost 24 hour plane ride to be with them for a short time until she has to go back home to the Philippines.

So, for her birthday this year my brothers, sister & I along with our respective partners planned a simple surprise for her. Nothing ostentatious, but very much from our hearts.

Here's one of the gift we surprised her with. It's a "Family Love Box".

It is 4 x 4 in box that explodes into a 12 x 12 in scrapbook page with photos of Mom, her children and grandchildren.

It also came with a coordinating card.

Now, Mom can be with her four children and seven grandkids anytime, all the time.

Happy Birthday Ma! We love you!