Pom's Breathing Room

I wish you the joy of loving

2011-09-16T15:08:00.001+07:00

Today my son Neill turns 8 years old. He's been such a perfect addition to my life, the missing piece I didn't know I was missing until he arrived. Thank you, son.

For your birthday, I wish you patience. I wish you perseverance. And I wish you the joy of living. The joy of loving. I love you with all my heart!!!

I was going through my gallery thinking I'll just repost one of my old layouts, probably one showing him as a baby, to go with the short Happy Birthday message. Instead, I found this one that I consider one of my most favorite scrapbooking layouts ever. And it turned out that I haven't even shared this one on this blog yet! What's wrong with me? Duh???

The page is really special to me. You'll understand it once you read it.

Journaling reads:

"Starting Over"
Neill was not breastfed as a baby.

Back then, who knows how much I could have pocketed if I got a penny
everytime somebody gave me a you're-not-trying-hard-enough look.

My breast milk didn't come when Neill was born and for the whole first week
we pretty much starved him because I was so determined to breastfeed.
We really didn't have anything else prepared in case I couldn't do it.
I had read so much about the advantages of breastfeeding
and wouldn't give my son anything but the best.

Well, turned out I couldn't give him that.
I extended the hospital stay but in the end even the doctors and nurses gave up
(without really saying so) and suggested that he should be given full-on formula.
I couldn't even describe how much it hurt.

I know it's nobody's fault and it couldn't be helped. But sometimes I want to scream,
'Enough with the look and don't try to make me feel less of a mother because of it!'

I would have given anything though, to go back and start over with all the breastfeeding struggles.
But it just can't be done. That day when I gave Neill his first full bottle, I felt defeated.
Then I realised that I was holding on to my ego instead of his needs.

That day, we started over together.
I learned that being a mother doesn't only mean pushing for the best, but also accepting the truth.
And I hope Neill learned that eventhough it might not always work out in the end,
I'd fight tooth and nail to give him the best I possibly can every single time.

The layout's journaling is inspired by this blog post by Trish (MommaTrish - she writes the best sarcastic parenting blog in my opinion.) I read her story and just had to tell my story as well. Thanks for the motivation, Trish!!!

The product used in the layout is "Anew" kit (retired) by my friend Rachelle. She used to be known as Studio Doodelle but now on hiatus from scrapbook design. You can still follow her insightful and fun personal blog.

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Just a little advertisement before I say goodbye for the day... :)

Dunia is having a sales! All her kits are 30% off from now to Sept 20. Don't miss it!
@MScraps and DigiScrappersBrasil

Val is hosting a challenge! You have a whole month to complete it. :) Oh, and did I tell you there's a free mini something for grabs at the challenge thread?

Anita is releasing this new beautiful kit: The Best Things in Life. I'm so sad I was so busy I didn't make a layout with it yet. But I will soon! For now, you can visit Anita's blog to take a closer look at the kit and a new set of templates too!

Bye for now! :)

It's my party and I'll fly if I want to...

2011-09-11T14:48:00.000+07:00

The title came to me out of the blue and I really quite like it. You'll find out soon enough what it's about. :)

Yesterday was my birthday (don't ask) and I had such a great time I decided I had to update the blog immediately to give you some gift and maybe brighten up someone's day a wee bit as well. Obviously "immediately" turns into 24 hours afterwards but you know that's not too bad considering my blog-updating history. LOL

First a few recent layouts to share!

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I just LOVE those word arts in Val C. Designs' new kit - Fly High. (You can choose to purchase the bundle or WA, papers, and elements separately.) They are so inspiring and make you wanna start scrapping the moment you laid eyes on them. Well, that's what I did!

It was so much fun layering and blending all the masks, word arts, stamps, textures, etc., on the page and came up with just an easy-looking one accentuating Neill's mesmerizing eyes. I think I'll be using the design as the cover page of our family 2012 calendar.

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These following layouts are from Dunia Designs' templates and kits. For the first one I used one of her latest template set Embrace Simplicity vol. 3 with the Three Little Birds kit. It's a RAK for my close friend PaMam. The sweet and tender photos are from a Thai Mother's Day event at her son Sinat's school.

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Now for this one below. The journaling says it all. ;)

May 5, 2011: This friendly (?) game of foosball was the perfect ending
to Neill's first sleepover at Auntie Dana's house in Beirut.
Knowing that he sometimes sleepwalks,
Sasha generously let Neill take the bottom bunk.
He had a great time playing with her, enjoyed Baka's food immensely,
and also behaved perfectly the whole time.
Tears were shed when they had to say goodbye
and, of course, Neill couldn't wait to do it all again!

Edited: Great, great news for Dunia's fans!!! From September 15 - 20, ALL her products - old or new releases - are 30% off!!! Don't miss this chance. Visit her MScraps or DigiScrappersBrasil stores today!

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Thanks for sticking with me till the end! I've modified an old layout and turned it into a template for you. Hope you like it!
Edited to add: Just noticed that the layout that I based this template on was posted in galleries exactly one year ago! It also got a GSO at DigiShopTalk forum. I didn't post it at first because it doesn't really look a lot like the template anymore after the modification. But then I thought maybe it would show you an alternative way of using the template. So here it is!

Please click on the preview below to download. Enjoy!!! :)

Today I'm grateful for...

2011-08-28T12:53:00.003+07:00

So many things! I woke up feeling it's gonna be a good day, and it is so far. :) Outside the air is heavy and the grey sky threatens rain while I'm enjoying my cup of latte in an air-conditioned mall with free wi-fi waiting for my kiddo to finish his singing class. Yes. All is well.

Just about an hour ago I learned that my most recent scrapbook page made it to the Gallery Standouts blog again today!

It's always an honor to be among such amazing talents there but today it's very special because the page is also very special to me. Well, to be fair, all my scrapbook pages are special to me. But you know, like that bad joke, "All men are created equal but some are just more equal than others."

This page happened quite spontaneously. I didn't set out to create a photo-less layout but it just turned out this way. It became a page waiting for myself to fill one day with photos taken from my dream destinations. Would you keep your fingers crossed for me please...

Do you like my list? Anyone share the same dream destinations as mine? :)

The page is crated with Val C. Designs' amazing For the Record kit.

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Now I hope I can make you happy too. :) There's this little template I made from my own layout. I kept it simple but of course there's a lot of space for you to fill out with as many elements, photos, and texts, as you want to. I made a word art to go with the template and it also works separately. So, enjoy!

The template and word art are okay for PU, S4H, and S4O. Please click on the preview to download.

easy or busy, and some word art freebies :)

2011-08-23T18:40:00.002+07:00

Easy or busy? That is the question. How do you like your layouts to look, digiscrapping-wise? I personally love both. I just can't limit myself to any one style. Yeah.. I'm quite promiscuous when it comes to designing. LOL

Over the years I've noticed that a lot of those who love C&S (clean and simple) style don't usually wander far from it. In similar fashion, those who marvel at busy layouts seldom scrap anything without clusters either. I might be of a rare breed as I'm inspired by both groups and always enjoy stalking galleries of these amazing scrappers.

And that's one great thing about being in Dunia Designs' Creative Team. She is a C&S scrapper herself so she always releases amazing templates in that style. On the other hand, she designs perfect kits for those who love lots and lots of busy elements on their pages. Result? She's got a great group of scrappers of all styles working for her and together they are truly a bottomless pit of inspiration for me.

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So, layouts I have to show today are of course from Dunia's creations. Some looks easy (though none really are) and some busy. (Didn't I tell you how promiscuous I am? LOL) Hope you like them!

I'll start with the most recent ones.

You can click here and here to see these double pagers in bigger size. They are created with Dunia's Album - Set 1 templates (available at MS and DSB) which had me screaming at first sight. :) I'm planning to use the whole set to create the family calendar for 2012.

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Now this one is pretty special. I don't scrap my husband that often (well I'm quite shy to be so openly lovey-dovey LOL) but when I got an idea to do a white-space layout with very little journaling, I know this is the theme and photo for it.

The kits used are Better Together and Alphabet Soup: Boyish.

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The next two pages were created in June. (I know. I know. I should blog more regularly.) Both got mentioned in MScrap's June GSO thread. And both tell the story of the day Ella's family came to visit us in Bangkok. :)

^ Created with Somewhere over the Rainbow collab by Studio Basic and Dunia, Embrace Simplicity vol.2 template, and Alphabet Soup - Girly

^ Created with Positive Vibration kit and Duo Stripes template

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Are you still hanging in there? :) Sorry for this being an image-heavy post. Next time it should be better as I've cleared the backlog with this one. ;)

So, to thank you for sticking around to the end of the long post, here's a word-art pack for you. I created them over a period of time for my own layouts then put them together as a prize for a challenge I hosted last year. Only about a dozen people have them so far and I'm sure they don't mind I'm giving the pack away as freebie now.

Please click on the preview to download. I hope you like it. :) Enjoy!!

For the Record RAK from ValC.

2011-08-21T13:24:00.004+07:00

Just a quick post now and hopefully I'll have another post up later in the day. :)

Val C. Designs went for a vacation (which made me green with envy LOL) and came back with this sweet, classic, neutral colored, and perfect-for-photobook kit called "For the Record." It's just stunning and so versatile. I wish I can show you the preview and the layout I made with it right now but I can't. Yet. You'll just have to wait a bit more.

But now you can join in for a chance to win this kit for free! Visit Val's blog and read how. The RAK will close this Thursday and winner announced on Friday. Good luck!

Frames and a good sale, anyone?

2011-08-14T17:26:00.001+07:00

I need to find a way to come up with more creative and fun titles. LOL

Been super busy in real life and haven't done any scrapping for a whole week. :( There's still quite a few recent pages that I haven't shown here, though. Will do that very soon but today it's gonna be just a short post.

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One of my lovely blog visitors, Terri, wrote to ask about a set of frames that I created last year as a participation gift for a challenge I hosted at Digital Scrap Cafe. The link in that post didn't work anymore because, not too long afterwards, DSC had a server problem that caused them to restart the whole forum, lose all the old threads, and start afresh.

Her mail reminded me that I had thought about re-posting the links to the stuff I gave away through DSC earlier but kept forgetting about it.

So, thanks to Terri, if you'd like some loose frames versatile enough (I hope) to use with many kits in your stash, here they are. I call them "At Dusk" as some photos I took of Beirut after sunset were my inspiration in creating them. :)

The frames are for okay for Personal Use and Scrap for Hire. Please click on the preview to download.

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I'll wrap it up with a great news for Val C. Designs' fans!

From August 13 to 20 you can have the selected products at as much as 50% off the price, exclusively at Zig Zag Scrap. I have to say this news earned a "Wow!" from me when I first learned of it. A sale this big that include all the big collabs and mega bundles are hard to come by these days, if at all. So take this opportunity and enjoy your retail therapy! Oh, and if you want to see what you can do with Val's designs, a visit to the ZZS gallery might help. ;)

Be back soon. :)

Challenges, layouts, and a freebie

2011-07-31T06:40:00.004+07:00

I definitely didn't plan it but when I looked at all the layouts I want to show you today, I realized they were all created with prompts from challenges!

What I love the most about challenges is how they push your creative boundaries. You get to do what you might not normally choose to do, try new techniques, and sometimes even explore some of your own buried feelings. I'd recommend it if you haven't tried yet.

I've totally enjoyed the challenges at MScraps forum where I hang out the most these days. They are creative and challenging (as challenges should be), and the sample layouts from the site CT's are very inspiring. Oh, and of course, the points that you can collect toward $ to use in the store are quite nice too. ;)

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Did you happen to notice the tweet button on the right side of the blog? Hehe...yep, I'm using twitter now. In my twitter page I use this layout as background.

I created this LO for an About Me challenge in the theme "Phobia" and that means heights for me. It was a long process thinking, planning, and executing the page, which is why I just love how it came out looking so simple and easy. The ladies at MScraps gave me so many encouraging comments!! TYSM!

(The city silhouette is inspired by Famous City Skyline brushes by Rawox and Balloon girl modified from a brush by xCassiex24. Thank you both!)

Just 2 days later I created another page for the Photography challenge: reflections. Mine was taken on our short train ride 2 years ago. It shows not one but two reflections! One on the magnifying glass and one in my son Neill's eyes, and I just love how I can see myself in his eyes!

The page went on to earn a mention in the Gallery Standouts blog! I was so excited!!!

Both pages above were created with this beautiful kit: Little Discoverer of Designs by Anita.

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For this month (July) I have 2 challenge layouts to show. :)

This first one I made for the Recipe Challenge. Not food but scrapping recipe - with a certain amount of photos, papers, fasteners, lines, circles, etc. you have to put in. Not easy at all but so much fun!!!

Journaling reads: Neill isn't normally allowed to play with toy guns.

I let him have this one because it hasn't got a trigger

and there're no dangerous parts that can become loose.

It can make a heck of a noise though.

From collab kit Things to Do on a Windy Day of Designs by Anita and Che Yang Designs

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And the most recent one is another About Me challenge. This time it's about what you dislike about yourself. Oh boy. I have to say, when it's done, I felt so drained and naked! LOL

Journaling reads: I'll admit it

there are times when I am not too happy with the fact that I'm

NOT so young, wild, or free anymore.

I haven't totally come to terms with it yet.

But I know I'll get there ... one day.

From kit Young, Wild, and Free of Designs by Anita

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Now a little bit of news!

Two Little Pixels is closing shop so all Anita's products there, including the ones you see here, are now on sale at 35% off! This is only until August 5 so hurry up!!

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Congrats! You've survived the loooong post. Here's a present for you. As I said, I spent a lot of time planning, drawing, cutting and piercing those digi papers to make the layout so I think, well, maybe you can find some use for it! :D Here's the download link if you're interested:

Just a little reminder here: this template is for Personal Use and NOT for any promotional purposes. So, please refer to the TOU when using. :) Thank you so much! Please let me know if you do make something with this. I would really love to see your art. :)

a template freebie and some other things

2011-07-29T18:30:00.002+07:00

I seem to be apologizing and making excuses about why I didn't blog more often every time I update the blog. So I'm not gonna do that today. I'll just.... blog. LOL
I've been busy with my son Neill's many after-school activities. (Isn't that an excuse too? Oh well..) Among other things, he recently participated in a singing contest and even won a small prize! I'm so proud of him! :)

I haven't uploaded the video clip of the contest yet but here's his previous performance of the same song 'Whataya want from me' by Adam Lambert. Enjoy, if you have a few minutes to spare. ;)
I created this layout for Val C. Designs almost a month in advance before the product hit the store. So when it eventually came out, I completely forgot about it. Bad, bad me! (So sorry, Val!) Anyway, here it is:

Enjoying Summer

"This bread is soooo yummy, Mama! Can I have some more?"
"Uh.. Neill, it's actually for the fish..."
"Oh really? ... They don't look very hungry. Can I have some more, please?" :)
The kit I used is Morning in Summer. It's now available as a part of Val C. Design's Zig Zag Scrap Birthday Grab Bag, until the end of July. Afterwards you can of course purchase it as a single product.
I made a template out of the layout above. It's a gift for you. Hope you like it. Just click on the preview below or here to download.

I also have another template to give away in a day or two. See you then. :)

Party in the summer rain

2011-07-12T04:00:00.000+07:00

Nobody can tell anymore what color my car is exactly. :D Since it's been raining cats and dogs almost everyday here in Bangkok, I've decided to forego the pointless act of washing the car altogether. (Or at least until my son can't take it any longer and has to wash it himself. LOL)

Well, when it's not raining, it's just so darn hot here. I guess it's the perfect reason to be in an air-conditioned room and do some scrapping! I'm so in love with a lot of scrapbooking kits coming out right now. The bright summer colors certainly liven up galleries that it's such a joy to browse around.

Anyway, in the midst of sun and rain, I created a few double page layouts I'd like to share here. :)

P.S. Just notice that I put "Summer Rain" on the title! Love the song! Love you, Mr. Schue!

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We went to South Africa in April to visit Ouma and Oupa (my mother- and father-in-law) and had such a great time there. I took a whole bunch of pictures from the trip which you'll definitely see later in my layouts. This one is about their new dog, Muffin, whom Neill created an amazing bond with...

Journaling reads:

In the brief 2 weeks that we stayed at Ouma and Oupa's house in Pretoria, South Africa, Neill has found a friend in little Muffin, Ouma's 4-month-old Yorkshire Terrier.

Both were at first awkward playing together. Sometimes the boy was too rough with the dog, other times the dog was too loud for the boy.

But they worked out their differences soon enough. By the time we had to leave, they were the best of friends and tears were flowing freely when they said their goodbyes.

Ouma told us later that Muffin sat at the gate for days, waiting for us to come back. And, of course, Neill has been begging to have his own dog ever since.

Credits:

layout created with Bloom of Colours kit by Val C. Designs

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Val (Val C. Designs) and Terese (T for Me Designs) have teamed up to create this lovely kit called Summer Party.

They've also come up with a fun challenge with loads of freebies (add-on from both designers plus 2 word art sets in English and French) for us all to play with and prizes to win.

I had soooo much fun creating my double page layout for the kit and the challenge. :)

Come to the party at Zig Zag Scrap and join the challenge here!

I'll be back in a few days with my own template freebie. ;)

Back with a bang - LO's, a GSO, and a freebie

2011-07-09T17:50:00.000+07:00

I took a 5 month scrapping (and blogging) break and coming back to it again isn't easy at all! It's quite a struggle actually. :) Well, however, you know what they say about riding a bike, right? Just take a few falls and you should be fine. Keep your fingers crossed for me please!

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The first few pages I created after my "comeback" were for Anita of Designs by Anita. I love the cool, calm, and collectedness of her products, they absolutely make me feel more cool-headed than I usually am. LOL So here they are:

This first one is about the day Ella, my French digi-scrap friend, and her family were visiting us in Bangkok. It even earns me a mention in the Gallery Standouts blog! Woohoo!

Journaling reads: @ Wat Arun (the Temple of Dawn) with Ella's family - Feb 11, 2011

For almost 2 years, we talked in forums, enjoying each other's art.

Then came the day we finally met in person.

It definitely was a day to remember.

Credits: Manic Monday - collab kit of Designs by Anita and Click Photo Designs Lien

(in Something Everyday bundle)

Available at MScraps, TwoLittlePixels, and DigiScrappersBrasil

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Then there's this layout created for a photography challenge at MScraps. You actually don't have to scrap the whole page for the challenge but I just couldn't help it. The picture begs to be scrapped! ;)

Journaling reads:

Byblos: March 24, 2010

This 2,000-year-old port on the Mediterranean Sea is just a short drive from Beirut.

Neill, Michael, and Papa hiked up and down the ruins tirelessly

while Mama brought up the rear snapping away.

On that small path, with the modern Beirut as backdrop,

it's almost like taking a journey through time from the past to the future!

Credits:

Chirping Birds - collab kit from Designs by Anita and Sabrina's Creations

Available at Mscraps, TwoLittlePixels, and DigiScrappersBrasil

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Now for this one I just wanted to keep it clean and simple to set off Neill's wicked smile. :)

From Unique kit of Designs by Anita at Zig Zag Scrap

Good news! If you like this page, you can have it as a quickpage for FREE. Just visit Anita's blog here to download.

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And this last one was created with a very special kit. As Anita is the Featured Designer at MScraps this month, she has created the kit A Day at the Beach especially for the occasion. Throughout July only, purchase more than $5 of Anita's products and you will get this fun summer kit for FREE!

Here's my page with the kit. Just wanna try to do a bold and busy page for a change. ;)

And here's a little something for you. Just to say thanks for visiting me again after my long break. You can click on the preview to download or just click here.

Enjoy the template and please let me know if you like it! :)

More to come very soon. Stay tuned!

So irritated by ImageShack

2011-07-03T07:38:00.004+07:00

Okay I admit to having neglected my blog lately. (Not too much, though. Only half a year. No big deal, huh? ;) ) But it's just not nice to come back and found that ImageShack has made me look like a criminal!

You might have noticed that some images on my blog were replaced by IS's notice saying 'This domain violates ImageShack's ToS.' Well, I checked ImageShack® - Rules and, in short, it says you must not upload anything that 'can be construed as porn, copyrighted material, harassment, or spam.' So? My images are not those at all! The ones that I.S. yanked out of the blog were my scrapbooking layouts which are my own, created with material bought or given with permission from designers. There's absolutely nothing offensive or abusive about them.

What irritates and confuses me the most is the fact that most of the layouts and even some scrapbooking previews and ads are still showing. Why??? There's nothing different between the ones IS refused to host and the ones allowed to stay. How would I know then if the next one would be alright by IS or not?

I guess it's time to move on then. Sorry about the rant, just have to take it out of my system. I'll switch to other file hosting site from now on. And (fingers crossed!) hopefully I'll be back to blogging regularly very soon!

Edited to add: Now some of those 'This domain violates ImageShack's ToS' notices are gone again. Ugh! I just don't get it!

Layouts for Val C. Designs, and a freebie, of course!

2011-01-22T01:58:00.004+07:00

I hope your internet connection works smoothly and fast today because it's gonna be quite an image-heavy post! :) I've got layouts I made for Val C. Designs as a part of her creative team (which is a truly fabulous group of talented ladies from so many countries) to show you today. And at the end there's a gift for you too!

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Let's talk about this one first. Guess who got featured in a GSO again? LOL This page, Do Not Disturb, was mentioned in Mesoscrappy.com as one of the week's gallery standouts. I'm so excited!

This is a re-interpretation/remake of a layout I made last year. Turns out it wasn't easy at all to scraplift yourself. LOL I'm satisfied with the end product, though. I love how the papers in this kit fit the page design so nicely.

Journaling reads:
As time passes, you grow more and more confident and start having little secrets.
I am so proud of your independence but still can't help feeling a little bit lonely sometimes!

Credits:
from Be Creative - ArtBox 1 by Val C. Designs, available at Zig Zag Scrap

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These two are from the same series of products, All in Blocks. The first one is from All in Blocks - the Kit. The page has quite a fun history to it so I hope you have time to click on the picture to read the story at the DST gallery. :) The second one is from the All in Blocks - Year. It's a fun one, since I just needed a break from work so badly. ;) Now you can buy both products at once in a bundle at 27% off the price!

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This one is from Be Inspired - Daily. I just wanted to keep it simple with hilight (literally..LOL) on my cute boy when he was just a baby sleeping soundly on his Papa.

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And now this latest layout for Val's new release this week, List-O-Holic - a beautiful collab between Val C. Designs and EHstudio. It's available at both Zig Zag Scrap and MScraps.

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You did it! Give yourself a nice pat on the back now for making it to the freebie. :) Val's Gals have come together to make 4x6" Brag Book pages for this blog train as a gift to you. By the time you've made a complete round of our list of blogs, you should have a nice little coordiated Brag Book for your own use! I use this kit of Val's, Purest, for my BB page.

I also used the same design as the BB page for my own layout!

So I hope you'll all enjoy the BB page. You can click here to download or on the preview below!

You might have come from Tammy's blog. now after you've collected my BB page, your next stop is Ella's blog! If by any chance you get lost along the way, just visit Val's blog to get the full list of the blog train stops and you'll be fine! :) Or if any blog is not ready by the time you get there, please do check back at a later time. Since we are an international team, this can happen due to time difference. We sure don't want you to miss any of our goodies!!!

Enjoy!! (And leave some kind words for all the ladies too please? Thanks!)

A little something from me - a New Year's gift for you :)

2011-01-03T21:56:00.004+07:00

First of all, Happy New Year!!! I wish you all the best that 2011 has to offer! I personally don't have any resolutions set for the new year. If I have to make one, though, it'd be to make better choices in time management. Isn't it irritating that the older you are, the faster time seems to fly?

Anyway, I figured that since I've been such a lazy blogger lately, I should at least have something special for you as a New Year's gift. :) Just bear with me a little and go through a few layouts I haven't shown here yet first. (I believe I have about a dozen more but those can wait for now. If I can't manage my own time well, at least I should try to help you manage yours. LOL)

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I'll start with this one. Using Kit Jolly Season from Designs by Anita with Follow the Curves template by Studio Basic, the layout was made for an All About Me challenge at MScraps where you're supposed to scrap about Christmas trees and the decorating tradition at your house. Since we're not celebrating Christmas here, I scrapped about this national tradition instead.

I'm totally satisfied with it and proud to be sending this message about the tradition for our wonderful King to the world. The page, Cradle for the King, consequently earned a mention in MScraps' Gallery Standout thread. :)

Journaling reads:
December 5 is the day Thai people get together to light candles as tribute to our beloved King Bhumibol, who has been the country's guiding light throughout his years as the world's longest-reigning monarch. This year, along with a group of friends, we held our own candle lighting ceremony. It was such a beautiful and meaningful moment and we are glad that all the children got to experience it first hand.

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I made this double page layout as a RAK to my friends Adi and Avner, and their beautiful son, Yarden. The kit, Together -- a collab from Designs by Anita and Three Paper Peonies, is just stunning and I love this picture of Yarden and his apple so much. So my focus was just to keep it as clean and simple as possible and let the photos shine.

I was inspired by this layout, Thanks by Elisa (Zizazzi) who is a real queen of double page layouts, although in the end I changed, moved, removed, added, and tweaked it a lot that it hardly looks like a lift anymore. :D

Here's my double page, Together Forever:

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This most recent layout is another RAK/gift I made for my dear friend PaMam and her children Prima and Sinat. The first moment I laid eyes on Anita's new set of CU layered frame templates: Frame It In 03, I knew it would be perfect for this series of pictures. I had so much fun doing the little extraction to make it look like the children are peeking out of the frame. The kit Little Thoughts, also by Anita, is also just right for the whole look!

The layout went on to earn Gallery Standout at MScraps and Oscraps. Woohoo!

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Okay now, here's your gift! :) I made this template set out of the double pager Together Forever. I'm hoping to make more DP templates in the future so I named the series "2gether". You can use the templates to make one double page layout, or two individual pages -- it's all up to you. And many thanks to chilli07 for the swirl brush used in the template!

Please click on the preview for the download link.

Hope you like your gift and Happy New Year once again!!!

Big Christmas Blogtrain from Val's Gals

2010-12-24T02:00:00.002+07:00

Hi there!

I know, I know. I've been a bad blogger. So much as been going on in my life it's even hard for me to keep up. So I decided not to burden you by blogging about it. ;) Nah, not really. Just haven't got a lot of free time lately. One of my resolutions for the new year is definitely to blog more often. I always tended to leave it until there's too much to talk about, and that makes the posts too long, and that makes me too lazy to blog, and that makes me leave it until I have more time to blog, and that makes the list of things to talk about even longer, and thus begins the shameful cycle again. Hope I can cure myself soon. :D

*****

Anyway, you must have come here from Laurie's blog! We have a great thing going today. It's the Big Christmas Blogtrain by Val C. Designs' Creative Team. See this ad here (so beautifully made by Corinna aka Ruebchensmum) for more details. And... my dear French visitors, French text is provided below ;)

Today we have a blogtrain with wonderful prizes to win. All you have to do is follow the train, collect the words given on the different blog and post the sentence that results from these words in the comment section of Val's blog.
Aujourd'hui il y a un blogtrain avec des superbes prix à gagner. Tout ce qu'il faut faire, c'est suivre le blogtrain, collecter les mots qui sont donnés sur les différents blogs et poster la phrase qui résulte des mots donnés dans le coin comments sur le blog de Val C.

And here are my words:
Et voici mon mot:

"and to say"

Okay, I didn't have to do this but hey, it's fun! So I scrapped the words as well. I used Val C. Designs' kit Daily and Daily alpha for it. ;)

Now take those words and keep on to Eszter's blog, collect the whole sentence and leave it at the comment part in Val's blog! (If you get lost along the way and didn't get all the words for the sentence, you can always go back to start over again from Corinna's blog.)

I wish you all good luck and have the best holiday with your loved ones!!! :)

Maintenant, prenez ces mots et de garder sur le blog d'Eszter, de recueillir toute la phrase et de le laisser à la partie commentaire dans le blog de Val! (Si vous vous perdez en chemin et n'a pas obtenu tous les mots de la phrase, vous pouvez toujours revenir en arrière pour recommencer sur le blog de Corinna.)

Je vous souhaite à tous bonne chance et ont les meilleures vacances avec vos proches!!! :)

All for Anita :)

2010-12-05T07:44:00.004+07:00

Let's just see some nice things today. Or I hope you'd think they're nice. ;) Of course I'm talking about my scrapbooking pages! I've been a bad blogger and haven't shown them in a long while. The digital backlog is piling up BIG TIME!

Today it's all about Anita. :) These following LOs are from Designs by Anita's kits throughout November to early December. I'll start from the most recent and work my way backwards.

* * * * *

Snow - from A Winter's Day kit @ Mscraps and Two Little Pixels
(used with a template from Dunia Designs' An Easy Way 1 to 5)

* * * * *

Love - The picture is from my in-law's wedding day. :) Aren't they gorgeous together?
from True Love kit @ Mscraps and Two Little Pixels (used with a template by Biancka for a challenge at MScraps)

* * * * *

Best Thing - Now this is from MY engagement party all those years ago. :)
from Little Thoughts kit @ Mscraps and Two Little Pixels (used with Anita's Grungy Masks set)

* * * * *

In Grandma's Hands - Just wanted to make some pages documenting Neill's bond with his Khun Yai :)
The page is inspired by 'That's My Boy' by dlhoffer
I used Persistent kit @ Mscraps and Two Little Pixels
with Anita's Frame It In No.2 (CU) @ MScraps and Two Little Pixels on the right page

* * * * *

So, don't forget to visit Anita's store, where many more of her fantastic products are waiting. :)

I'll be back very soon with more pages to show here. Stay tuned!

Holiday shopping, anyone?

2010-11-26T07:57:00.003+07:00

Happy Thanksgiving! For those who celebrate the fabulous holiday, of course. We don't celebrate it here in Thailand but I always love spirit and the idea of being grateful for what we have.

The concept actually applies to Buddhist teachings as well. To be satisfied, grateful, and know what is "just enough" for you, that equals to letting go of greed. Isn't that wonderful? Wouldn't it bring a little peace to the chaotic world? (A little pageant-y for me but what the heck. LOL!)

* * * * *

I'm running a little late at everything. (When am I not that? Umm............ Let me think.............. Still thinking............) So I'll just leave you a couple of ads here. Hope they are useful for those who are shopping for holidays!!! All images are linked to corrensponding stores.

Oh! First, some good news!!!!

I am very lucky to be chosen as this week's Featured Scrapper at MScraps.

I would really LOVE IT and LOVE YOU if you ladies can visit the thread and play with the challenge! It's easy! You just have to visit my gallery at MScraps and lift one of my layouts using at least 75% of MS products. I'm the last one for November so, with holiday preparations and stuff, there might not be a lot of participants. It can be a bit lonely there. Keep me company, pretty please.........? ;)

* * * * *

Now, the second good news! Val C. Designs asked if I wanted to join her CT and I said yes!!! I have always loved Val's beautiful kits and she's sooooooooo sweet and one of the most generous designers out there. So it's such a pleasure to be working with her again.

She just opened her store at Zig Zag Scrap recently and now some of her fabulous products are on sale during the Black Friday! Go shop!

* * * * *

At MScraps, Anita and Dunia are also having some sales of their kits. Dunia has 3 new products on sale for 20% off during the weekend, while Anita's shop is 30% off!

* * * * *

Gotta end with this bittersweet news. Designs by Doodelle (Rachelle) is closing her shop at MScraps. She'll be starting at a new store next month. From now until the end of the month, though, you have a chance to pick up her stuff at MScraps at a very looooow price! Some of the old kits will be retired forever so, seriously, don't miss the chance at owning some vintage Doodelle before it's gone for good!

I have a big bunch of new layouts for ALL the designers I CT for that haven't been shown here yet. That will have to wait until next time, though. See ya soon! Now enjoy your shopping!!!!!

What can you do to help make others stronger?

2010-11-21T05:49:00.008+07:00

There's a lot to tell so I'll try to go straight to the point. :)

I took part in a charity collab for a digi friend whose husband is sick with cancer. The family is in trouble because he recently lost his job and his insurance doesn't cover the treatment. The friend is Chelsea of Caged Bird Designs, who is really sweet. I have only worked with her for a short time at DSC but she was very nice to the CTs there.

The charity collab is named "That Much Stronger." Here is the details about the kit itself as well as the charity -- the Doudy family's situation that this kit aims to support, direct from Scrapable website:

More than 40 designers have come together for a great cause to help
one of our own in the digital scrapbook community! This is a HUGE
mega collab which has more than 200 papers, over 300 elements,
about 50 word art, 10 alphas and 4 templates. Too many to count!

Chelsea Doudy's, designer of Caged Bird Designs, husband was diagnosed
with skin cancer right below his left eye, it is a Squamous Cell Carcinoma,
if left untreated it will start to effect the nerves and then move to the eye.
This comes on the heels of other medical bills for their son, Luke.
Clayton has also recently lost his job. The Doudy’s have no insurance and
have been told Clayton will need the Mohs surgery in the next two months,
and the hospital will not do the surgery without a down payment because
they have no insurance.

You can help! All proceeds from the sales of this kit, after Paypal fees,
will go directly to the battle, care and surgery of Clayton's skin cancer.
We have a big goal to meet!

Here is my part - my contribution to this amazing collab kit. It's a set of 7 main word arts with 33 variations, including optional shadows, grungy versions, journaling prompts, and some extra elements.

I want to show you what you can do with my contribution to the collab kit, so I created this layout using solely the word arts and elements in my part. It turned out to be one of my favorit LO ever! It's very personal, raw, and real. I love it. (Remember this is just one part! Imagin what else you can do with other 200 papers and 300 elements in this huge kit!)

Journaling reads:
You remind me of myself. My complex and confused self.
Strong-willed to the point of being stubborn, yet hungry for reassurance.
I am too hard on you sometimes because I am equally hard on me.
And that might not always be the right thing to be as a parent.
I'm still learning and trying every single day.
Just want you to know that I understand!
And I always love the strong-willed and sentimental you.
No matter what, be assured... our love will be stronger everyday.

My friend Tammy, of Designs by Polka Dot Chicks, also made this beautiful layout using a word art in this set, with a heartfelt message to her son:

Credits:
Kit - Essentials by StudioDawn @ SBG
Wordart by Pom's Breathing Room
Template (modified) by BIO

* * * * *

I'd really appreciate it if you can purchase the kit to support the family. (You can also make a direct donation to them if you want to.) With almost 2GB of digi goodies, it is definitely more than worth the $10 price. Well, maybe a little freebie to sample it first? I'm happy say that I have a permission to share some with you. :)

Here's one word art and one seperate brick brush to compliment the WA. They are included in my part of the collab kit. Please click here or on the preview below to download.

Enjoy your freebie and thank you in advance for supporting the Doudy family and That Much Stronger!

I'll be in Doodelle's Studio, Studio...

2010-11-13T20:00:00.002+07:00

An America's Got Talent hardcore fan would surely recognise that the title of this blog post is a reference to Sponjetta Parrish's memorable performance on the show. Boy, those were 3 and a half minutes of pure fun and it gave me a great laugh and a good night's sleep! (If you click to see the clip, make sure you watch the second half. Nick was absolutely hilarious!!)

Okay, the reason I thought of Sponjetta's performance is because...... Designs by Doodelle is a guest Studio Girl at ScrapbookGraphics for November!!! I know, I know... The !'s are redundant since I'm blogging about this so late and most of you knew it already. LOL Well, I'm still excited abut this great gig and Rachelle totally deserves it! So...shall we take a look at what she has in her studio, studio, this month then? :D

* * * * *

Abundant Grace is the first product of Studio Doodelle I got to play with. It's a whimsical and creative Fall and Thanksgiving kits rolled into one. I just love how my layout with the kit turned out.

Rachelle also has this seperate set of Silver Charms that will compliment the kit and you can easily mix and match it with many others.

* * * * *

Then there's Tickle, this fun and goofy kit that would just make you smile along when you see a page made with it! And I had JUST the perfect series of photos for it too. ;)

Journaling reads: May 20, 2010
These photos were taken the day Neill pulled one of his front teeth out.
Yep. Pulled.
It had been wobbling for a while and we were planning to see the dentist about it.
Then one day he turned and said, 'Look, Mom! No blood at all!!'
He was so proud of himself that he, literally, pulled it off all by himself! LOL

There is also a seperate set of frames, Tickle My Fancy Frames, that are just gorgeous for all kinds of layouts!

* * * * *

The latest kit of Designs by Doodelle/Studio Doodelle I got to play with is the romantic and chic mini-kit Affections. (Available at both MScraps and ScrapbookGraphics!) I chose to use it with a picture of Dunia's beautiful twin daughters, Rafa and Duda, who turned 9 months old on November 4. It came out just like I hoped, so soft and tender. :) The page earned a GSO at DigiShopTalk too.

( *** Please note this modification (by me) - The hand-drawn butterfly sticker offered in the kit was used as a mask to make the pierced paper butterfly in the above layout. *** )

Still need more creative inspiration? Visit Rachelle's (Designs by Doodelle's) blog to see other fabulous pages created by her Creative Souls -- my Soulsistahs!! :D

Oh!! And to end this blog post with a great news. Rach has prepared a special exclusive gift for Studio Doodelle customers who purchase from her store at SBG for the whole month of November! Look below, isn't it so gorgeous and useful? Don't miss it, ladies! :)

Shhh.. I'm not here...

2010-11-08T03:09:00.003+07:00

Sorry I can't talk much and I won't talk long. Just tiptoe-ing in and will sneak out very soon.

I actually should have blogged much earlier. A lot of news to share, layouts to show, and promotions to.. well.. promote. Now it's too late and the iDSD had come and gone. I'm so sorry. I'll be better soon I promise. A lot is happening and I'm having a bad migraine attack. Everything coming out of my mouth sounds wrong and mean. (Bad Pom!) I should go to bed but I can't sleep. :(

Anyway, I still enjoy browsing around and reading about all my friends in Digi Land's iDSD experiences. Glad to learn that everyone seems to enjoy it so far. All the freebies from stores and designers are great and discounts are awesome. A lot of money was happily spent. Some stores are extending the sales for a day or two as well. That's a great news. :)

Well, I should try to go back to sleep. Good night!! ;) I'll be more sane next time we talk! LOL

Boo! and freebie too! (2)

2010-10-30T17:17:00.006+07:00

Yep! As promised, another post with the same name, right after the previous one! LOL!

* * * * *

And like the earlier entry, first we begin with the good news!

Rach (Designs by Doodelle) has an important gig next month being a guest designer at an exciting store!!! Apart from holding a Guess My Gig games at her Facebook fan page, she's also holding a RAK for new kits she has coming out at the guest store too! Head over to Facebook or DST for both games now! Or you can just go to Rach's blog to read the details about them. :)

* * * * *

Now my news. And I'm sorry to say that it's a sad news. After almost a year working as a Creative Team Member of Digital Scrap Cafe, I have decided to step down. Yes, I'm leaving DSC.

It's such a hard decision to make, I lost quite a few nights' sleep over it. It feels like the end of an era for me!! I enjoyed being active and getting creative for the wonderful shop and this friendly forum so much, but I just don't have enough time to be as active anymore. It really breaks my heart (you know how much I love DSC) but you've gotta do what you've gotta do, right?

In any case, I'm hosting this one last challenge there and I hope you will be able to find time to play with me. It's a template challenge!! I made a new template out of an old layout of mine, then I used it with this new layout for the latest lovely collab kit from Aprilisa Designs and Pixelily Designs called Eek! I'm Scared!

Here's my layout with it:

Journaling reads:
*NOT counting down to October 31 !*
Papa has taken leave from work to visit us from the second week of October,
and he's due to be back in Lebanon on Oct 31.
That makes this year the worst Halloween ever!
We know we woud miss your funny faces so much!

There will be a little parting gift from me to all participants of the challenge as well. So please go to the challenge thread to find your download link and make a layout! Play with me! Please..... :) I hope you like the template!!

** There is a problem at DSC so the challenge is cancelled for now. You can click on the image to download. **

** Edited: Many thanks to @Ally S. who let me know that she couldn't download the template from DSC because there's a malware warning on the site. I heard the complaint earlier and the site were already working hard on it. Anyway, in the mean time, if you can't access DSC either, you may use this link to download the template directly.

And if you do have a chance to make a layout from the template and can't post the layout in DSC gallery due to malware warning, please leave the link to your page in the comment space here and I'll make sure to show it in the challenge thread and make you eligible for participating prize. :) Thanks!! **

Boo! and freebie too! (1)

2010-10-30T16:39:00.003+07:00

Yep! This is post number one. There will be another entry with the same title, featuring another layout with (somewhat) the same name, from another kit with (somewhat) the same theme, and another coordinating freebie (fortunately not of the same kind) coming right after. Don't ask me why. It just has to be. I'm confused myself. LOL!

* * * * *

Yesterday was Friday and it's the day of new releases! I just want to mention this one by Dunia quickly because it's so cool! It's a new template pack inspired by Camila Maria who always rocks her layouts with clustering style. I haven't got a chance to play with the templates yet but I'll show you the page I make with it soon.

I know it's only a day left but maybe you can still catch it! Dunia's Good-bye Sale at Zig Zag Scrap, 50% off her entire shop until October 31 only!!!

* * * * *

Designs by Anita also has something out for the special day tomorrow! Halloween! Yayyy! We don't celebrate Halloween at home but Neill can't help getting excited with it. He even asked Papa to buy him a pirate costume - fully equipped with eye pad, ear rings, a sword, a cap, a head scarf! I'll snap some shots for you to see if he really gets to wear it somewhere. :D

Anyway, here's Anita's delicious Halloween kit called Trick or Treat! (Available at MScraps and Two Little Pixels) I so love the classic colors and cute elements. Very versatile and good for both boys and girls too!

Here's my page using this fabulous kit!

Journaling reads: April 24, 2010
For almost 10 years that Mama has been collecting pictures of Papa's 'Boo!' Faces,
This one is certainly a clear favorite,
Neill couldn't stop laughing when he saw this.

I made a 12x12" quickpage out of that layout for Anita to give away on her blog and she was so kind as to allow me to share it here as well. So, click on the preview below or just click here to download. Leave me a word or two if you like it please. And don't forget to go to Anita's blog to read all about the kit and see other awesome pages from other CT members too! Enjoy!

For Dunia: news, kits, and layouts!

2010-10-27T22:24:00.004+07:00

A lot is going on for Dunia right now and I'm here to spread the words! :)

Dunia Designs is leaving Zig Zag Scraps (to become exclusive at DigiScrappersBrasil) so she's having a 50% sales for her whole store at ZZS. Grab the fabulous products before October 31!

* * * * *

She's also having a few lovely kits out recently. This one, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun is a collaboration with Rubia of Studio Basic, so you can rest assured that the kit is certainly fun, funky, and fabulous! Templates and a set of alpha are also included!

For some reasons, I always find myself using Dunia's kits for my hubby's cute little grand niece Deandré's pictures. I feel that Dee's playful personality goes with Dunia's style so well. So here is Dee's fun day at the beach, scrapped with this great kit. I used Studio Basic's template (included in the kit) too!

* * * * *

Another one is a relaunched kit for Christmas, Christmas Wishes collab kit by Dunia and Loreta Labarca (available at DigiScrappersBrasil and MScraps)!! Honestly, I love the kit so much and have loved it since I saw it last year. If you celebrate X'mas at home, this one is for you. It's so versatile and has so much to play and be creative with.

I made a page with this kit last year, using a picture of Yuri, Dunia's handsome son. He was such a perfect model for a perfect Christmas celebration!!

The quote in the layout belongs to Burton Hills. It says, 'The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree is the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other.'

So true. Don't you agree? :)

What can you learn from little birds?

2010-10-16T00:54:00.003+07:00

If the title sounds a little philosophical, then maybe that's because it's kinda is! Am I confusing you already? :) It's all about this page here.

Journaling reads: (October 27, 2002)

In Thailand we have a saying that can be translated as
"Little birds build nests according to their size."
This is based on a Buddhist belief that one should always
be aware of their own situation and live within their means.

I had this thought on my mind when Chris and I decided to host a small party
to let our friends know of our engagement
and my decision to leave Thailand to live with Chris in East Timor.
We sent out an informal invitation to friends with this photo on it.

The fact that it was taken at an instant photo booth in the old Bangkok airport
only a few minutes after Chris's flight had landed made it even more special.
No make-up, stiff hair, or beautiful suit and gown. Just us and the camera.
It became the first symbol of our lives together on the path of little birds.

* * * * *

Yes, I know. It's an old picture and an old story. But the moment I laid eyes on the Kissing Birds kit, I thought of both immediately. I wanted to tell the story and tell it right, because it means a lot to me. This kit helped me do just that.

But then again it's always like this between me and each one of Rachelle's (Designs by Doodelle's) kit. They make me feel the urge to tell a story. Sometimes, though, the right story doesn't show itself to me right away. When that happens I prefer to wait. I know that if I give it time and don't rush myself to "just finish it", it will pay off. Probably not very nice of me as a creative team member but I'm lucky that Rach is super sweet and understand her Creative Soulmates very well. Hehe...

Anyway, here's the ultra cute and super creative kit that inspires me so much, Kissing Birds:

You may pop in Rach's blog to see other stunning layouts that the MScraps CTs have created with the kit, and also a layout from Tammy and one from Indy -- my two creative soulmates on Rach's CT team!

* * * * *

As usual, Rach lets me turn my layout in to a QP to give away here. I hope you woud enjoy it as much as I do. There's plenty of room on the layout to tell your own story or you can even add more of your own special photos onto it. Please consider leaving me a word or two if you like the page enough to download. You know how much I love to read. :) Here's your download link.

Indy has a quickpage from her layout to give away as well. Don't forget to tell her I send my best regards when you stop by her blog to catch the goodies! ;)

A Perfect Day to ...

2010-10-15T23:00:00.001+07:00

It's a perfect day to ... insert your own verb there in the blank! :D For me, I guess I'll have to say it's a perfect day to write! I've been working on an article (IRL work) and now I'm making 2 back-to-back blog posts for Anita's kits and then Rachelle's while hubby is having his perfect snore in bed behind me. LOL

* * * * *

Let's start with a good news about Anita! Designs by Anita is featured at The Daily Digi and I feel so excited for her. It is such a wonderful site where I learn a lot about graphic techniques and also about digiscrapbooking design business from. One thing you will get to learn more about today is Anita herself! This article, In the Designer's Studio with Anita, will give you an inside peek about who she is and how she works. I find it really interesting and fun to read!

Anita has created a new and exclusive kit to include in the Digi Files#22 along with products from other well-known designers. This kit by Anita is called "A Perfect Day" which is so perfectly stunning in everyway!

Here is what I made with it:

Journaling reads:
We found a cute little cafe near our holiday house in Rayong
so we decided to stop for snack and, of course, an inpromptu photo session.

We took turns taking pictures.
Then we set the camera on tripod to shoot us together.
The brief quality time was such a perfect moment for us.

* * * * *

Being such a totally efficient and hyper creative designer :) , Anita also has this very useful and cool set of Grungy Masks out this week at MScraps and Two Little Pixels!

And this is my layout using one of the Grungy Masks with a little bit of A Perfect Day!

I used a picture of Neill and Grandma over the Sirikit dam in Uttaradit, taken when Neill was participating in a sports tournament there last year. I like the shape and lines of the bridge and I like the depth of focus in this photo. It fits the masks perfectly and I'm really satisfied with the outcome. They really are "best friends"in a sense and I feel so blessed for that. :)

Digital Scrap Cafe October 2010 Blog train is here!

2010-10-15T06:00:00.002+07:00

Uh... Well... Technically, the blog train is here but I am not, though. LOL! I'm actually on a beach somewhere sipping a mai tai (..more likely a cup of hot latte but it's more fun to think mai tai. Hehe) But since this is the 15th of the month, I just have to pop in here to welcome you on board the Digital Scrap Cafe October 2010 Blog Train.

This train is taking you to see the beauty of Autumn with the beautiful collab kit "Falling for You" by all the fabulous designers of Digital Scrap Cafe! Included in this gorgeous kit are 110 elements and 61 papers, more than enough to satisfy your scrapping needs all season long. :)

For this month, our talented and sweet Blog Train hostess, Alison of Milly Dee Designs, suggested that we make a hybrid tag as blog train freebies. What a fun idea! The tags can be printed out and used as is or you can of course use it as a part of your scrapbooking layouts.

Sadly, due to family business and out of town trips this month, I couldn't participate fully and wasn't able to make the tag for blog train. I still would love for you to visit all the participating blogs and collect the fantastic goodies our designers and CT members have waiting for you though. Here are all the blog train stops:

Digtal scrap Cafe
Tempusfugit
The Beale Five
tincancanoe
Kristen's Scrappy Life
Cage Bird Designs
Three Hearts Digital Designs
Milly Dee Designs

* * * * *

Well, hybrid tag or not, I still can't let you leave this blog empty handed, especially on the DSC Blog Train day! My gift for you here is the 2011 Monthly Calendar Dates that I made to use with my own family calendars. The project is currently in printing process and I'm so excited about it!!!. I'll probably write another blog post to show you all the calendar pages soon. :D

Here's one sample of the calendar dates in use. (I modified my layouts to make the calendar. This page uses Designs by Doodelle's Creative Soul kit with a wire cupcake element by Three Paper Peonies, and my own calendar dates.)

Please click here or on the preview below for download link. I hope you enjoy it and have fun with your own calendar projects. And don't forget to check out the DSC blog train as well for a lot more freebies!! Talk later!

*Edited to add this: @suzielarose asked if the font I used for the calendar dates is my handwriting. I'm flattered but no, it's not. (I wish! LOL) It's a free font by Tom Murphy called One Constant. You can also find a link to his website [DIVIDE BY ZERO] in the TOU file of the calendar dates. ;)

Guess who made GSO again??

2010-10-11T22:51:00.003+07:00

Me! Me! Me! (Gee, love yourself much??!! LOL) Oh well, I'm happy, what can I do? :D

One reason why this time it makes me more excited than before is because it's totally unexpected. I'll admit it, everytime I finish a layout I have a wee bit of hope it will get a GSO somewhere. A bit pathetic, yes, but it feels great to know that other people like my creations too. (Since I always scrap pictures of Neill, the term "my creations" means him as much as my layouts. LOL)

I finished the page in a hurry because it was going to be the last page - the backside of the back cover - of the family's 2011 calendar, which needs to be reformatted and zipped up and burnt to a disc and sent to the printer right away. At that point I had been working for 40 hours straight, hurrying to finish the project, and only managed to sneak in 3 hours of sleep in between those long hours. So, I was happy enough that the last page came out decent. LOL! The fact that it got mentioned in the GSO blog just blew me away! Thank you so much, Kate and GSO!!!

Of course, the page can't be half decent without Rachelle's kit Travelogue and Dunia's 2009 in Review Template. I salute you and am soooooo very grateful to be working with you, Rach and Dunia!!!

* * * * *

Also just finished a new page for Caged Bird Designs' store grand opening at Digital Scrap Cafe!! (Her kits are now 40% off during this celebratory period. Go check it out quickly!!) This beautiful Fall kit, Bountiful Meadow, is so easy and fun to work with. I used it for the pictures of Neill in his grandma's garden. It was quite a funny moment for all of us.

Grandma's Garden
Journaling reads:
Neill wanted to help Khun Yai (grandma) in the garden
at our little holiday house in Rayong.
It took him the whole 20 minutes to properly put on
mosquito repellent lotion, long socks, and garden gloves.

He then confidently tackled the weeds, pulled out handful after handful of those,
never forgot to pause every half minute to pose for the camera.

After 5 minutes, he decided that he had enough,
claiming that an ant bit him somewhere and the leaves made him itchy.
It took another 20 minutes to remove all that he just put on to take a shower. :)

* * * * *

Alright, just a few short notes before I have to go. Rachelle (Designs by Doodelle)'s CT Call is still going on until October 13. Send her your application fast if you're interested!

My What's in the Coffee Cup challenge at DSC is also running until the end of October. Already there are some amazingly creative layouts submitted. I hope to see a lot more, though. Remember, ALL participants get a little something at the end of the month too!! :)

Looking for some Creative Soul-mates :)

2010-10-07T04:00:00.003+07:00

Pardon the silly attempt at word play for the title. It's late now and my own creative juice has already gone to bed without me tagging along. LOL

Speaking of creativity, I just finished a layout featuring my own creative little boy. It's in a style I never really tried before but have always wanted to. It came out just the way I imagined it, and got mentioned right away in MScraps' Gallery Standouts thread. Woohoo!!!

"Creative You"
Journaling reads:
You love singing. You love dancing.
You make your own music. You have fantastic imagination.
Okay, you don't draw all that well,
but you always have great stories behind all your drawings.
You asked, "Mama, can you teach me how to do digital scrapbooking?"
I sure can, and I definitely will, my love.

Kit used for the page is Creative Soul of Designs by Doodelle -- back when she still went by Rachness. I just love the kit and kept holding it until I could find what I really want to create with it. I'm glad I waited. :)

Anyway, does anybody get my title by now? :D Here's your deciphered message. Rachelle (Designs by Doodelle) is having a CT Call! If you are also a Creative Soul, this is your chance to work and play with Rach's fabulous products as her creative team member. I am already on her team, so if you make it to the team, wouldn't it mean we will be *Creative Soul*-mates? LOL

Alright, alright. I'll stop goofing around now. :D If you need more details on CT application, drop by Rach's blog. She has a really fun detailed explanation on it. And if you want to see more of Rach's fab stuff, to see how well you will fit in with the team, head over to her store. Apart from her infinite talent, Rach is also one of the sweetest persons I know in this business. You won't be disappointed.

* * * * *

Well, naturally, I'll end this post with a little gift to you, from Rach and me. Enjoy the QP and hurry up with your CT application! Call ends Oct. 13!

A quick post for Anita's fans

2010-10-05T03:01:00.005+07:00

So sorry it's gonna be a hit-and-run post again. I'm super busy these days and here's one of the reasons why:

Neill is studying hard for the semester final exam. All my fingers and toes are crossed that he gets some good grades!!! Please wish him luck too! :)

* * * * *

Anita (Designs by Anita) is going crazy! LOL! Oh but you are going to love this. I mean, she is going crazy with give-aways, RAKs, and a whole lot of freebies!

She has a new gorgeous kit, a collaboration with Joyce Paul called Just Breathe, out this Friday. You have a chance to win this kit just by leaving comments on Anita's and Joyce's blogs or tweeting and FB'ing about it. RAK ends Thursday night (Dutch time) so don't forget to check your time difference first. :)

* * * * *

There's more! Anita also just started with Facebook and Twitter recently and she couldn't wait to get the party going.

So this Friday evening (again, Dutch time) she will be giving away coupons at her Twitter account. Some lucky followers (it will be a double digit number!!) will get a product for FREE! And.... everytime the follower count goes up to 100+, Anita said she will throw in a freebie or a huge coupon too. :D

What are you waiting for, then? Head over there immediately or go to Anita's blog to read the details now! :)

I'm turning back the clock at DSC! :D

2010-10-03T04:22:00.001+07:00

Well, not really. LOL! It's just for this month's What's in the Coffee Cup Challenge!

For October 2010 I decided that we’ll revisit some of DSC’s discontinued challenges (the oldies but goodies.) :) Those who have been to the forum last year might remember that we used to have Quote, Color, and C&S Challenges. Now we will see the combination of all that!

I won't bore you with details here. You can go and read all about it from the DSC blog and the challenge thread. (And please do drop by because there will be a special gift for ALL participants of the challenge!!) I'm just gonna tell you how excited I am hosting it. I think it's a wonderful combination and I had such a great fun creating this example layout!

So here's my interpretation of this month's CCC:

Journaling reads:
You just started training for badminton recently
and already it has become your latest passion.
You are not really light on your feet yet but you have keen eyes and great reflexes.
We don't know yet if you'd make the school team in time
for the upcoming inter-school tournament, but you definitely gave it your all.
Even if it doesn't come out the way we want,
this will surely be the start of another great journey for you.
(September 30, 2010)

The kit used for this layout is Defiant by one of Digital Scrap Cafe's exciting new designers, Dream Big Designs!

It's such a perfect kit for boys, especially ones who love rock music and into all rebellous kinds of activities. It's totally made for my Neill! LOL!! I just love it so much and probably will create more LOs with it when I can find time.

The WA in the layout is from my own Journey Word Art set that was the September CCC participation prize.

You still have a chance to get the whole set, if you want to, just by joining in the October CCC Challenge. Click the preview below and pick up this one word art freebie to make the layout per the CCC directions and submit to the thread! I'll be waiting for you there. :)

Going on The Trails with Camp Giggle

2010-10-02T03:45:00.002+07:00

Sorry! The blog was supposed to be updated at least half a day ago but we were enjoying my sister's birthday dinner I didn't get a chance to boot up the computer. That Japanese restaurant was fantastic, by the way. I really loved my tofu and grilled leeks! :)

* * * * *

Got a new layout to show you again. The pictures were from our South Africa trip last year. Papa took us to the Pretoria zoo and it was so much fun! I actually took dozens of pictures there that I intended to scrap one day (mostly of animals and the zoo's fabulous signage design.) It's almost a year past though and I guess they still have to wait a little longer. LOL

Journaling reads:
October 9, 2009
Neill had such a wonderful day with Ouma and Oupa exploring the Pretoria zoo
which is known for being the largest zoo in South Africa.
Luckily there were golf carts available
or we wouldn't have made it through the whole 6km. of walkways around!!

The page is not really my usual scrapping style but it did feel nice to try it for a change. I love the outcome too, especially how much it looks like real paper scrapbooking. The lovely and fun kit used for the layout is Rachelle (Designs by Doodelle)'s latest addition to her store: Camp Giggle. (20% off at MScraps all this weekend!)

And, as usual. You can enjoy a taste of this creatively yummy kit of Rachelle as well! Rach lets me turn my layout into a QP freebie to give away here. Just click on the preview below to get your download link.

Don't forget to check Rach's blog and Indy's blog as well. They both have lovely stuff waiting for you to pick up! Oh, and why don't you check back here in a day or two? A little bird told me that there'd be another freebie here. See ya! :)

A Little Something from DSC Blog Train!

2010-09-20T09:34:00.001+07:00

My son Neill just turned seven a few days ago (on September 16.) That morning I woke him up with a hug and a Happy Birthday kiss. His reply:

"I'm 7 now! Yay!! And you know what? I'm loving you more every year, Mama."

Ditto, baby. Ditto. :)

Between Neill's final exams coming up in less than 2 weeks, having to drive him around to all his sport practices, and trying to finish my own work assignments, my life here is kinda like a quick blur right now. Some days I was so exhausted although when I did go to bed, I couldn't sleep no matter how long I spent tossing and turning under the blanket. This is the time when such a little sleepy message like the one from my boy can mean so much. I'm so grateful for you Neill!!! Mwaahh!

* * * * *

Now let's get to what you're really here for. LOL! Digital Scrap Cafe's blog train is here again!

For September 2010, the designers of DSC have come up with this cute and huge collab kit, A Little Something. Well, despite the name, with 122 elements, 4 templates, and 70 papers, this kit is everything but little! :D

The kit's color palette made me think of the fun train trip we took earlier in June. The trip was organised by my close friend PaMam so I decided to RAK her with some layouts (brag book pages) using her and her children's photos.

This first page used a template by Adi aka Le Pingouin Designs (included with A Little Something kit!) -- If you like the layout, go collect the brag book quickpage from the Digital Scrap Cafe blog. It's a part of our blog train!

I also made these following 2 pages using the photos of PaMam's children: Prima and Sinat.

So these are my goodies for you for Digital Scrap Cafe's September 2010 blog train! Please click here to download your 4x6" brag book quickpages if you like, or just click on the preview image below.

Don't want to miss any part of the blog train? Easy! I'll just give you the list here. :)

Blog Train Participants:
Pom - http://bkkpom.blogspot.com/ <--- me!
DSC - http://www.digitalscrapcafe.com/
Doris - http://tempusfug.blogspot.com/
Deanna - http://scrappygram.blogspot.com/
Loni - http://tincancanoe.blogspot.com/
Åsa - http://sondra-scraps.blogspot.com/

Please be patient and check back if any of the blogs are not ready yet when you first visit. You know, time difference and such. :) Now enjoy your free goodies and go blog hopping already! :D

Oh! And don't forget that my What's in the Coffee Cup Challenge is still going on until the end of the month! There's a gift for all participants too. Hope to see you there!!

Perfect Combination - A Drift in Dreams - a QP

2010-09-13T09:01:00.002+07:00

Got some new layouts to show you, and a little something to give too. :)

* * * * *

On the last day of Michael's stay in Lebanon, I set up a tripod and fortunately managed to get a few shots of our (very rare) family photos.

"Fortunately" because right after the shots, I went to remove the camera from the tripod and found that I could just lift it right off! No sliding out of the slot or unscrewing needed!!! It turned out that there's a break in the locking plate that I didn't notice when I put it in, so basically the camera was just sitting on the tripod the whole time with nothing securing it at all!! It's just by shear luck that my precious Canon EOS 500D didn't fall and got badly damaged. Wheww! I still got goosebumps thinking about it now.

Anyway, we did get some great shots and I used one of them for this page.

Journaling reads:
one family of two brothers living in three countries
with four loving hearts
perfect combination, that's what we are...

The kit used for the layout is Perfect Combination: the new kit of Designs by Doodelle that just hit the store a few days ago. With the playful palette of black, grey and hot pink, combined with an army of Rachelle's vector-drawn doodles and shiney elements, it has already easily become one of my favorites!

The element pack is also available seperately.

And don't forget that Rach is currently the Featured Designer at MScraps. For the entire September, her special offer is a 20% OFF discount for any purchase of her products worth 5$ and above. Read her advertisement in this blog post and use the coupon code in the ad to get your discount. :)

* * * * *

This following layout I made for Designs by Anita's CT challenge for September. Anita's CT forum is always an active, happy, and inspiring place to be, especially now that we are welcoming new additions to the team! For this month's challenge, Anita requires the creative use of one frame, one photo, 4 paper squares, and 2 word arts in the layout. Here's what I come up with it!

I kinda like the clean structure of the page, with just enough raised elements to draw the eyes. This page subsequently got mentioned in DST's GSO thread of the day! Yay! It's created with this beautiful collab kit A Drift in Dreams by Anita and Scooty's Designs.

* * * * *

I'll wrap it up with a little something for you again! Rach is, as always, generously letting me turn my layout from Perfect Combination into a quickpage to give away here. So, please click here to enjoy your gift, or on the preview image below. Leave me a word if you like it! :)

A Fresh Restart, a charity, and a free template

2010-09-09T02:42:00.002+07:00

Let's do something good together, shall we? :)

The designers of DigiScrappers Brasil are back again with the new Charity with Love project: A Fresh Restart. As Dunia's CT member, I'm really honored to be chosen to work with the amazing mega kit which is perfect in every way and, most of all, it's for a great cause. Here's the message from DigiScrappers Brasil...

* * * * *

Hello my friends. Today I'd like to draw your attention to something important and ask for help to everyone who can contribute.

Tsunamis, earthquakes and uncontrolled rains have devastated parts of the world. Many people have died, many others have lost their homes and everything they had, entire towns disappeared from the map. And even knowing what those natural disasters can do, we are never sufficiently prepared when they happen.

Last June the Brazilian Northeast experienced one of those tragedies. 95 cities and towns in the states of Alagoas and Pernambuco were flooded due to torrential rains. About 50 people died and more than 100,000 were left homeless. Many of these people lost their homes, their furniture, clothes and all their belongings.

An heartbreaking and very sad scenery.

Our charity project aims to raise funds to be used in benefit of those people who still need so much all our help. The designers of Digiscrappers Brasil, through the project Charity with Love, has created this beautiful mega kit, A Fresh Restart, that includes 94 beautiful papers, 271 assorted and very colorful elements, three alphabets and three templates for layouts. All you need to create the most beautiful pages.

Also our scrappers helped us to create a beautiful album with 16 quick pages in size 12 "x 12", plus cover and back cover.

If you liked both two products, there's a bundle version with 20% off discount.

100% of the sales, after discounting MoIP (Brazil) / Paypal (international) fees, will be reversed in favor of families affected by the rains in Alagoas and Pernambuco through honest and trustful organizations.

Thanks in advance for your support in this cause.

* * * * *

The kit is just so much fun and energetic so I wanted to create something with a lot of dynamic actions. I chose this series of photos of Neill and his friends on the merry-go-round. I think it represents A Fresh Restart quite well. :)

If you are one of DigiScrappers Brasil's newsletter subscribers, you must already have seen that the layout is offered there as a free quickpage! (Thank you, Loreta, for featuring it!) If you are not a subscriber yet, you can still read that newsletter and get the quickpage by following the link here. You have to hurry though coz I really don't know for how long it will stay available. :)

When I posted the layout in galleries, my friend Åsa asked if I can make a template out of the page. Of course I can! So here it is, Round n' Round template. The scalloped journaling is something I wrote for my layout, it's NOT a wordart included in the kit. I think it's quite cute and you might find some use for it so I throw it in with the template as well. Hope you like it!

Leave me a little something here if you like it enough to download, will ya? You know how much I love comments, right? LOL And don't forget to check out the wonderful charity mega kit A Fresh Restart too!!!

Enjoy!!

Me and my first ever mini kit!?!

2010-09-07T06:31:00.000+07:00

Didn't expect me to blog again this soon, did you? LOL. Well I'd like to surprise you (and myself) every once in a while!

* * * * *

I just put this layout in galleries. Didn't plan to put it out at first since I made it especially for Anita's CT profile page, but what the heck. LOL!! It's just a little something about me that you would have already known anyway if you've come by this blog more than a few times.

Journaling reads:
Briefly me --- Pom.
37. Thai. Married to South African hubby Chris. Mom to 7-year-old Neill.
A book editor & translator. Scrapping since early 2009. Vegetarian.
Addicted to coffee, reality TV, books, and the Net!

Credits:
Pieces of You - a collab kit from Designs by Anita and LieN Clickphoto Designs

* * * * *

There's something I did for the first time last week. I created my first ever mini kit! It was kind of a spur of a moment thing actually. LOL

As I told you earlier, last month (August) I took over the What's in the Coffee Cup Challenge at DSC from Di. It's exciting and I wanted to have something to give away to all participants for playing with me. I was going to do some teenie-tiny thing but an idea occurred to me and it eventually became a kit. What can I do? LOL!

Here is what it looks like:

The idea of the kit came from the photographs I took of Beirut's skyline. The view from the top deck of Gefinor Beirut Hotel -- with the sunset, the infinity pool, and everything -- was just stunning beyond words. I just love those colors so much.

Creating the kit, however, was quite a huge challenge for me as I have never seen myself as a designer. I'm simply a digi scrapper who loves to try new things and share the outcomes. :D I had fun making it but I'm quite certain now that I won't be quitting my day job to design scrapbooking kits anytime soon. LOL. Lucky me, quite a few people have said they like the kit and that makes me totally overjoyed!!!

(By the way, notice the new preview format? I decided to give it a makeover, completed with a logo! Like it?)

The mini kit will NOT be up for sale or given away anywhere else but in the challenges I host. It has already been sent to all participants of the August CCC. (And some have made stunning layouts with it. Woohoo!! Thanks, girls!) If you want it too, however, you can still have it by participating in the September Coffee Cup Challenge!

The challenge is to scrap a layout that includes each of the items listed in the coffee cup. I’m hoping to have some fun with night vs. light this time. More details at the challenge thread!

Here’s my layout using directions from the coffee cup:

Journaling reads:
There were a few dozen classmates sharing the same stage and bathing the same spotlight,
Yet you were no doubt my star of the night.

I used Aprilisa Designs’ kit Hot Off The Press for the layout. The talented Lisa is also the Designer in the Spotlight this month so don’t forget to check out her fabulous challenge and sale too!

So, I hope I'll see you all at the challenge! I know it's not easy but isn't it fun too to challenge yourself creatively? And, just for visiting the challenge thread, I'll give you this frame set taken from "At Dusk" for free! Please click on the preview to go to the challenge and get your download link. Enjoy!

Some good news and some goodies!

2010-09-06T06:35:00.004+07:00

Hi there!!!

It's amazing that I have already been maintaining this blog for over a year!! Remember, this is me who--for all my life--NEVER succeeded in keeping a diary after only one week into a new year. Looking at how (relatively) consistent I have been at blogging, scrapping, and giving away freebies here, I am quite proud of myself! I can see some obvious progress in my scrapping skills too. Yay! Giving myself a pat on the back! LOL!

* * * * *

So let's fill this blog entry with all the good news! I'll start with this one as it's already late blogging about it just now. (Sorry!! I've been so swamped with other things. Urrgh!)

Dunia is having a great sale! To celebrate her Birthday (on Sept. 5,) all Dunia's products will be on sale at 50% off between September 2 to 7, both at DigiScrappers Brasil and at Zig Zag Scrap! Don't miss it. :)

* * * * *

Anita (Designs by Anita) is having a stunning new kit out this Friday! This time it's a collaboration with Scooty's Designs called A Drift in Dreams. I just have to show you this sneak peek as I love these colors so much!!!!!

Want a chance to win it? Head over to Anita's blog, she's holding a RAK right now and there's a great freebie (a mini kit!!) for grabs too.

* * * * *

Another great news from Rachelle! From now on, Rachness Designs is no more! But don't gasp just yet. :D My talented beloved friend Rach will instead be known in the digi world as Designs by Doodelle, as you might have noticed from my new non-blinkie on the right.

This month, Rach is the Featured Designer at MScraps! For the entire September, her special offer is a 20% OFF discount for any purchase of her products worth 5$ and above.You just need to use the coupon code you see in the graphic below. (Such a cute ad, isn't it? I love all the fun facts about Rach here. LOL!)

Rachelle is also offering CU freebies on her blog, as well as a special mini kit for MScraps newsletter, so make sure to check it out!

* * * * *

To end this blog post in a celebrating spirit, I have a little goodie for you too! I've already shown you the layout I created with A Cup of Kindness, the collab kit between Rach and Lorie M. Designs. Today I'm giving you the quickpage from that layout! Big thanks to Rachelle and Lorie for this beautiful kit too!!

I hope you like it and don't forget to drop by her store and enjoy the sale there, okay? ;-) Just click on the preview image for download link. Enjoy!

* * * * *

Oh! I almost forgot the last bit of a good news! This will be the last time you see the freebie preview format above. I'm changing my preview design. I'll even have my own (sort of) logo now. LOL! I'll blog about it later today. :)

Creative Soul and Travelogue (and GSO again!)

2010-08-21T01:12:00.001+07:00

You just gotta give it to Rach for always coming up with such interesting and fun names for her kits! :)

My friend Rachelle (Rachness Designs/Doodelle) has two new kits out in her store at MScraps, and they are truly stunning. Both kits are full of unique elements and most of them hand-drawn by Rach herself. If you are a fan, as I am, you wouldn't want to miss them!

The first one is Creative Soul. I just loooooooove all the fun elements in this one! You've got a whole lot of paint splats, brush strokes, drawn frames, doodles, and a bunch of other art-related stuff to create your own art with. Endless possibilities here.

You can also buy the element pack seperately, if you want to.

With my super-duper hectic schedule, I haven't got round to making a layout with this fantastic kit just yet. But I will very soon! Until then, please visit Rach's blog as well as Indy's to all the stunning pages from Creative Soul. Indy has something special waiting for you there too. :)

* * * * *

This second kit, Travelogue -- just hit the store today and on sale at 20% off! -- is made especially for my family (or so it seems to me LOL!) uh.. no.. I mean... the travellers. :D Like one of the word arts in the kit said, the kit is perfect for when you are "..going on a trip, to take a break and see what the world has to offer."

It is also available as an Element Pack, also 20% off.

For this layout, I chose a picture of Neill from when we were on top of a mountain, savouring our first experience with real snow in Lebanon. I like the way he looked back as if pondering when we would get a chance to have fun with snow again. It was such a great day for all of us.

Journaling reads:
On that mountain, that day in Lebanon, with that first experience with snow, Neill must have felt like he's on top of the world.

Well, you know what, sometimes lightnings DO strike twice! I can't believe my eyes when I saw that this layout above has been featured at the Gallery Standouts blog! What?!? Second time this week???? I'm still pinching myself furiously here to see if I would wake up from such a great dream! LOL! I'm just so grateful for Rach's fabulous kits that inspire me so much.

So now great news! You can have this page for your own traveling photo! Just click here or on the preview below to get your quickpage. As usual, comments are very welcome and appreciated. :)

(Hint: There's another goodie for you at Indy's blog!)

That's all for now. See you here in a short while though. Really. And I'll be back with another freebie. :D

A call, a dollar deal, a GSO, and a challenge freebie!

2010-08-20T13:50:00.006+07:00

Okay, I counted. And I found out that in the span of about 24 hours I'm gonna have to make at least 3 blog posts to cover all I have to share with you. Wow.... That's gonna be fun! (And I can pretty much kiss my sleep good-bye. LOL) So I guess they all are gonna have to be short and sweet, and speedy as hell. :D Ready?

* * * * *

Designs by Anita is having a CT Call! This is absolutely a dream call for you, believe me. I'm speaking from my experience! Anita is super sweet to work with and always comes up with fabulous stuff that helps make your page special. Call ends Aug. 31 so hurry up!

(If you can't read the ad clearly, please click on it, or here, to go to Anita's blog for details.)

Here is just an example of Anita's beautiful work that I had a chance to create with. Natural Beauty:

I used the kit for this layout, This Smile, just to chronicle the progress of Neill's smile over almost 7 years of his life. :)

The template used for this layout is also a favorite of mine from Dunia Designs' Bunch of Templates Vol. 3!

* * * * *

...which brings us to another matter at hand, Dunia's amazing Dollar Deal! Her 20 products will be retired from stores by the end of the month, so Dunia has put them on sale for only $1 each at DigiScrappersBrasil! The deal lasts until the end of August only so you have to run if you don't want to miss these fun products forever! Here are previews of what you can get at the deal.

I used Times Like These kit and a template from Muliti-photo Templates Vol. 1, both included in Dunia's dollar deal, for this layout, Jump!

This page subsequently brought me the honor of being featured at the Gallery Standouts blog for the second time! Woohoooo! It has made its way to DigiShopTalk's and Digital Scrap Cafe's GSO threads as well. :)

* * * * *

I'll wrap it up quickly with this piece of news that is not so new any more as I should've blogged about it since the beginning of this month. LOL

I am a proud new hostess of the What's in the Coffee Cup Challenge at Digital Scrap Cafe! It's a fun challenge where you have to scrap a layout that includes each of the items listed in the coffee cup. And here is what the coffee cup looks like this month.

I won't go into the details now as this is already a loooooooog post. Let's just show you the layout I came up with for the coffee cup!

There WILL be a surprise gift (which will be revealed at the end of the challenge) for all participants. And, to kick start the challenge, I made a template out of my page above to give away as well. Visit the challenge thread to get the details and snag the free template!

Enjoy and see you soon! :)

some gifts for Skool Daze!!

2010-08-15T22:20:00.004+07:00

First of all, Happy Mother's Day for all Thais!! (It's on August 12 in Thailand.) I had a nice cry attending the Mother's Day function at Neill's school. Yeah...yeah..I'm a softie. What can I do? LOL

I'm terribly sorry I haven't been blogging as often as I should. (And I do have like a million things I want to talk about plus a thousand layouts to share with you. Urrgh!) Looking through Neill's school homework and class works that he brought back home everyday, however, I can feel that his attention to all the lessons is somewhat slipping. Well, the subjects are getting more difficult and there are a lot of homework and assignments for him to do each day. Combine those with his extra classes - football (soccer), computer, swimming, badminton, and singing - that he has each week, it's a huge responsibility for a 2nd grader.

So, I decided to spend more time with him each day to go through all school stuff together and we are hoping that the situation will improve soon. One bad thing about this, though, is me having less time to scrap and even lesser time to blog. I hope you understand. :)

* * * * *

From Neill "dazed and confused" state at school, I'm so glad and grateful that we at Digital Scrap Cafe are making these special gifts for you for the blog train!

Digital Scrap Cafe's August 2010 collab is called "Skool Daze" (which I know is a cool spin of School Days but with my and Neill's current situation, the Daze part is just so hilarious! LOL) This cute collab includes 75 elements, 64 papers, and 4 fabulous templates by Adi aka Le Pinguoin Designs. All these goodies for only $4.99 at DSC. I had so much fun working with this kit!

This month Jamie (CupcakeJamie) suggested to us at Digital Scrap Cafe that it should be great to make some printable gifts for all little students as well as homeschoolers everywhere. So that's what we've done!

I don't know if you remember but we did something like this earlier for the April blog train, and I've got a few comments loving how useful they were. (Thank you so much! I love comments!!!) So I hope you will find some use for these too, as they will definitely be useful for me and Neill. They can be used for school timetables, chore charts, or as a reward board to put gold stars stickers on for the little helpers. This time I throw in the grid template as well so you can design and personalize it for your little ones next time. (If you just stumbled upon my blog for the first time and like these printable timetables, please also check the one for our April blog train.)

As usual, just click on the preview to download from 4shared. Oh! And I'm so sorry that I think I forgot to include the freebie preview in the zip file. So please copy the preview here and put it in your folder after you download it. If you want to, that is. :)

There are more gifts from Skool Daze waiting for you! Please visit these places to collect others. Please also be patient though if the blogs are not ready yet. You know, the same old time difference thing. ;)

Asa - http://www.digitalscrapcafe.com/
Pom - http://bkkpom.blogspot.com/ <----- me!
Tempus Fugit - http://tempusfug.blogspot.com/
Double Dutch - http://www.scrapdoubledutch.com/
Jamie - http://jamie-cupcake.blogspot.com/

I also want to write about the "What's in the Coffee Cup" Challenge that I'm hosting for the whole month at DSC. But it might make the post too long here. I'll probably make a another post soon so please check back if you're interested to know what I'm giving away at that challenge. :)

So, what is clean, elegant, and comes hidden a bag?

2010-07-24T06:14:00.002+07:00

The answer would be this blog post. :D Okay, don't start booing just yet. I guess I ran out of ideas for blog titles. LOL

I've got a few layouts to show you today! I just spent a few hours resizing and getting the images ready for blogging and I couldn't help thinking that this is gonna be one of the best color-coordinated entries I ever make here! You'll see what I mean.

The first layout is created with Anita's mini kit Elegant and Beautiful (which totally lives up to its name!)

I used a picture of Neill when he was 2 months old, almost 7 years ago, for the layout. I just love this photo and his Mona Lisa smile. There are quite a few comments in the galleries where I posted this page noting how, as a baby, he already looked so much like his big-boy self now. What do you think? :)

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Now the other one is mysterious. I hate secrets and surprises but, my dear blog readers, my hands are tied. LOL!!! All I can tell you is Anita has a Grab Bag deal up at Two Little Pixels and it's fabulous!

Alright, alright! Anita lets me tell you that in the Grab Bag, you'll find one full kit, one word-art set that goes with the kit so perfectly, one very versatile set of frames, and one fantastic set of templates! During July 23-30 you can buy this bag for only $3. After the period each product (worth $14.15 combined) will be sold seperately. So hurry up!

I made a double pager with the items in the Grab Bag. Maybe it will give you some clues of what you'll find in the bag!

Journaling reads:
Ever since PaMam told us about the new salt-water pool not too far from both our houses, Neill was hooked. His private swimming lesson there is going very well although Mama suspects that what he likes best about it must be the fact that he can play with his close friends Prima and Sinat afterwards. It's always extremely hard to get those energized half-fish half-monkeys out of the pool at the end of the day!

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Freebie time! I made templates from my double-page layout above to share with you. No strings attached. This is not a part of any challenge. You don't have to make layouts to show me anywhere and I don't have any reward for it. But I do hope you like them, enjoy working with them, and I would always LOVE to see your pages using them!

Here's your download link or you can just click on the preview below. Comments are very welcome, appreciated, and encouraged as usual. :D

"He who eats alone chokes alone"

2010-07-22T09:32:00.004+07:00

*Warning* This blog entry might not be very coherent. LOL I started half of it and then found out that my son Neill was running quite a high fever and had to skip school for 2 days. So I just picked the blog up again 48 hours after I began. Sorry! Neill is better now though. :)

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Like my proverb of the day? "He who eats alone chokes alone." LOL I LOVE it! So true!!

I was going through a website with food-related quotes when I came across this one. The website doesn't show the proverb's origin but I think it's so clever! It tells something about human. It hilights the fact that we are social animals and that we are meant to share what we have and to help each other. What a deep meaning for such a short and fun sentence!

The social side of food and eating is what inspired me to make the 2 layouts that I'd like to show you today. These pages were made using the stories and pictures taken during our Lebanon trip from March to May this year. Both were created with kits by Rachelle of Rachness Designs.

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The first kit is A Cup of Kindness, a collab kit by Rachness and Lorie M. Designs. I have shown you the kit here a few posts ago but without the layout, because it wasn't ready yet.

Now the page is ready. So here's my page with A Cup of Kindness!

Journaling reads:

May 2, 2010 - We were invited to a lunch at a Lebanese friend's house one day and, after we all had too much of the tastiest Lebanese home-cooked meal, her mom offered to do 'coffee reading' for me. I was so excited. This was something I read about and saw in movies a thousand times before but never really experienced!

I was told to drink the thick and strong Turkish coffee until there's very little liquid left at the bottom, then swirl it around to make the sediments cover the cup's inside surface. We turned it upside down on a saucer and waited for the coffee grounds to settle and dry properly.

At first I thought the 'reading' will be full of ambiguous coded messages that require a lot of interpretation on my part. I was wrong. Although our friend's mother could barely speak English, she was very specific about my fortune (and misfortunes - LOL!) that she saw in the cup.

She mentioned health issues that I had, some deceitful friends, and described my precious close friend precisely down to how many children she has and their age. She could even tell from a symbol that I was from Thailand! (Honestly, I wouldn't be able to tell for the life of me that the smudge was an elephant!!)

In the end she told me to place my right thumb against the inside of the cup and turn it a little. She read the impression and concluded that I was satisfied with my life and had nothing serious to worry about. It's a relief to hear that and I was truly thankful for this amazing experience.

Okay I know that some of you might be thinking how unimaginative it is to create a page about a cup for a kit named a cup! Well, what can I say. The kit is just perfect for the picture and theme that I had in mind! It's also great for many other themes too, though, particularly friendship. Need more inspiration? See this entry in Rach's blog to enjoy all the CT pages from A Cup of Kindness!

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The second kit, just released Minda's Kitchen Retro Remix, was designed especially for cooking. It's filled with the nostalgic sense (or scents?) of our mom's home-cooked meals. This is actually a remix of Rach's old kit (and now retired) "Minda's Kitchen", and is packed with her own never seen before vector-drawn and digitally painted illustrations. The bundled pack contains 16 papers , more than 50 elements, and an alpha pack (lowercase a-z only).

I made this page about the Lebanese fabulously tasty treats with Minda's Kitchen Retro Remix!

My husband works in Lebanon so during our son's school break, we went to visit him there for 2 months. Before we got there, I was a little worried. Being a vegetarian is not always easy, and the last thing I want was to make life difficult for those around me. Well, I shouldn't have worried at all.

Journaling reads:
Lebanese cuisine must be one of the healthiest kind of food in the world. It has a wide range of dishes, cooked perfectly and creatively with tons of veggies and very little fat. I was in a vegetarian heaven!

Every labanese meal we had there was so delicious that it was always long gone before I even remembered to take pictures! That's why when we saw this miniature clay set of lebanese food in a souvenir shop, I had to snap it up right away. (Photographically, not physically though. LOL)

In this picture you could see all Lebanese delicacies such as Baba Ghanouj (char-grilled eggplant puree), Hummus (chickpeas dip), Tabbouleh (mint and parsley salad), Labneh (strained seasoned yogurt), Wara' Enab (stuffed vine leaves), Falafel (small deep-fried patties), and roasted nuts and olives.

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As always, Rach lets me turn my layout into a quickpage to share with you. Please click here or on the preview image below to download. Don't forget to leave a few words here too if you like it. :) Enjoy!

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My Template Challenge at Digital Scrap Cafe forum is still going until the last hour of Friday, July 23! You still have enough time to go get your free template and make a layout to participate. Hurry up and I'll see you there! :)

Free layered template, anyone?

2010-07-17T17:26:00.004+07:00

Hi!!! Ahh... another weekend with hundreds of things to do. So I'll just keep this short and sweet!

It's my turn again to host a template challenge at Digital Scrap Cafe forum, and I decided to try something different this time. :)

Before we get to the template itself, let's talk reward! This week's challenge winner will win a gift coupon from the loveliest Alison, aka messina33, who's the designer behind Milly Dee Designs. I used her fun kit Little Sailor for my sample layout for the challenge!

And here's my page:

Journaling reads:
Brave the Weather - 15 Oct 08
Our fun boat trip on a replica of ancient vessel in Phuket turned into a nightmare quickly when the storm swooped in. The rain was hard and the wind was throwing our small boat left and right then up and down with the waves. Quite a few people must have started praying silently.

Fortunately, the storm continued on past us eventually, as suddenly as when it came. The whole ordeal was over in less than 20 minutes but it felt much longer. We can laugh about it now but it was certainly no laughing matter then.

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Now, about the template. I know that the templates I gave away for my challenges are more of the Clean and Simple style. That's because it's something I'm more comfortable with. This time, I think it should be nice to try something outside my comfort zone. :)

Clustering, especially tight ones, is always my weakness. Everytime I make a page with clustering, I'm nervous and feel I have to concentrate a whole lot more than usual. So, I think this should be a nice challenge for you and me both! I told myself to be brave and create this template for the challenge. And you know what? I had so much fun! I love the page I made with it too!!!

So here's what your free template looks like! You may click on the preview image below or just click here to go to the challenge thread where you can find your download link.

That's it!! I hope you like the template and can find time to play with it! See you at the challenge!

Come ride the blog train to the beach!

2010-07-15T17:19:00.006+07:00

The weather has been a bit crazy here in Bangkok. One minute it could be steamingly hot hot HOT then the sky would crack and you'd get a huge rain storm that paralyzes traffic everywhere. (But then again, when is Bangkok traffic not paralyzed? LOL!)

Officially, summer has come and gone here but we haven't got a chance to really go to the beach yet this year. The key word in the previous sentence is "really." :D It's kinda ironic that we did go to the beach many times when we were in Lebanon, from March to May, but it was still winter and the beach was super windy and freezing. We didn't do anything there other than walking on the sand clutching our thick scarf. So naturally that didn't count for "a trip to the beach", right?

Sorry for complaining. LOL! I just can't help it. Working for Digital Scrap Cafe's July blog train only made me long for the beach more. Have you seen the new DSC collab in the store? It's called Beachy-Keen. With its 112 elements and 67 papers, the kit is perfect for all of those beach/summer layouts!

And for the whole month of July, for every $10 purchase at DSC, you'll get this big set of quickpages made from Beachy-Keen (worth $5.99) for free!!

So, about the pages I made with Beachy-Keen, We went to the driving range the other day for Neill's golf practice. I didn't expect any photo opportunity but, as other Mama-razzi everywhere, the camera was in the bag with full battery. What can I say, the light was perfect, the model was in the mood, so I snapped a few pictures. LOL!!! Then I made some sunny brag book pages for them.

You can have these 4x6 brag book pages too! (*Warning* The photos of cute boy in preview are not included in the file. LOL!!) They are my gifts to you as part of Digital Scrap Cafe's July Blog Train. Click on the preview below or here to get your download!

Don't forget to visit all the stops on our little blog train to get all the 4x6 brag book pages that we have prepared for you. By the end of the summer, you will have a nice album to keep your memories of the sunny days!!

Here are our blog train participants!

Pom - http://bkkpom.blogspot.com/ --> That's me. :)
Di - http://www.lifeloveandscrapping.blogspot.com/
Mary - http://texaschicstyle.blogspot.com/
Kristen - http://www.thebealefive.blogspot.com/
Manuela - http://manu.scrap-n-fun.net/
Loni - http://tincancanoe.blogspot.com/
Doris - http://tempusfug.blogspot.com/
And Åsa - http://www.digitalscrapcafe.com/

Please allow at least 24 hours for all the stops to be ready. You know, the time difference thing. Just check back at a later time to get your pages. Enjoy the ride!

Scrapping outside my comfort zone

2010-07-08T03:38:00.002+07:00

Eventhough I've never done paper scrapping before (I've been all digi from the start), I still consider myself a paper-style scrapper. I love (relatively) clean & simple pages although I also love doing clustering every once in a while. But in every page I do, I'm sure my obsession with shadowing is obvious. I can't go to bed if I spot one wrong or unrealistic tiny shadow on a layout. LOL!

One thing I VERY rarely do is an "artsy" page. Perhaps not as rarely as a fantasy page (which I've never done before LOL) but I don't see myself as a very visually-artistic person so the thought of doing even remotely artsy layouts simply scares me.

Well, there were occasions when a kit is so inspiring that, despite my fear, I just have to try. Please don't laugh at my attempts but these are what happen when I scrap outside my comfort zone. :)

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The first time I laid eyes on this kit, Mademoiselle from Rio by Lilipruneau, I immediately thought of Andy Warhol. LOL! Must be the colors. From then on it was just so easy and fun. Ideas came pouring in and journaling kept pouring out. Lili's products always have that effect on me, make me eager to create!

And here's what I made with this wonderful kit.:

I can tell you, I had so much fun creating this double pager! The Pop Art effect was not done by any pre-made action in the graphic program. I "painted on" Neill's faces myself one by one. I think this is where the journaling came to be. He is my art. And my art is growing, evolving right before my eyes.

Journaling reads:
We have heard time and time again how our children are non other than blank canvasses or immaculate pieces of whilte cloth, waiting for their parents to paint on, ready to absorb whatever colors in their environment. I think it is true up to a point.

In the end, no matter how much paint we use or how solid the colors we provide, they'd just take their own shades and hues, and all we can do is sit encouragingly, and watch their true colors shine as bright as they can be.

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Last week I helped Åsa made this template for Digital Scrap Cafe's June 25 - July 2, 2010 Template Challenge, so naturally I wanted to use it, and I wanted to rock it! :D Alas, I realised quickly how challenging the template is (and many challenge participants seem to agree with me LOL!!!!) I was totally lost and blocked for a while until I discovered the right kit for it!

Dani Salles (DSDesign Studio) is one of the new designers joining Digital Scrap Cafe store from the beginning of July. Her shop is full of impressively creative kits, and this one, Ink-Me, caught my eyes right away! Suddenly I knew which direction I wanted to go with the challenge and the template.

Here's my page with the kit, for the template challenge.:

Lately I have more and more photos of Neill with this little smirk, and his smugness just amuses me to no end. I'm sure he's gonna be pretty embarrassed with himself when he grows up to see them. So, for now, I think I should do my best at documenting these moments just so I can tease and blackmail him later. LOL!!

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No freebies today. I hope you still love me. :D More layouts later in the week!

Dear Darling and a little something for you!

2010-07-04T07:07:00.000+07:00

Okay, before I take you to the Darling stuff, I'd like to answer this first. :)

Indy (who has just opened a new artsy website, TheIndyPlayground.com -- let's go check out her wonderful mixed-media artwork!) left a comment on this blog a few posts back asking how I made my double-page spread (like this one) look like it comes from a real book. Well, I'll try to explain but please forgive me if I'm not making any sense. LOL

I got the idea when I saw a friend (this would be you, ViVre) did that to her DP at DSC forum and I just had to have it. But she used a commercial overlay and I was too cheap for it. :D So I did my own version with a little shadow trick. You know - just regular drop shadow from one side (with a little larger offset and blur radius than usual), then I copy only the part of the shadow that spills over to the other side, paste it on another layer, flip it and move it to meet the other shadow in the middle of the spread. There you have it.

So deceptively simple, right? I'm sure it's pretty crude comparing to the commercial overlay but it works well enough for me. Hope this helps! :)

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Let's move on to Dear Darling!!! I'm just in love with this new kit by Rachelle (Rachness Designs). It's not just your regular cute kit. All elements and papers are uniquely designed and well thought out. I love how it seems to invite you to sit down and make something pretty for your loved one(s) and write a special message to them.

Included in the full kit, you will find a great handwritten set of alphas as well. Or if you prefer, you may also purchase the alpha set (or the element set) seperately.

Speaking of alpha, Rach also has another set out and I think this one, Crayon Edge Alpha, is absolutely FAB!!! It's a basic alpha that you can use over and over, but with a fun twist that you can apply to spice up your pages.

Here is my page using Dear Darling. I also used a template that Rach gave away as freebie some time ago as an inspiration for the journaling cluster. I call the page "Through a Child's Eyes." :)

The day I made this page, my son Neill and I fought. After both of us cooled down, he came and apologised. I gave myself some time, then sat down, scrapped the page, and wrote this message to him.

Journaling reads:
You always ask what it was like when I was at your age. Was my homework as difficult or my school bag as heavy as yours? I just realised that it might be your way of telling me to cut you some slack. Yes, sometimes you forgot to send in your homework and lost your belongings. But you are young and I have made all the same mistakes before. Thanks for reminding me that it helps to look through a child's eyes to be a better mother. I love you!

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So, I've got a little something for you too. You can have the journaling cluster I made for my layout above as a gift from me and Rach! Click on the preview or here to download. Leave me a few words here if you like it, will ya? Thanks! :)

Check out Rachelle's blog to check out other CT pages using Dear Darling ! And don't forget to give Indy's and Tammy's blogs a visit as well. They both also have something cute the kit waiting to share with you. :)

Delightful Pieces of You in the Lazy Summer Days!

2010-06-26T06:33:00.000+07:00

My life was in such shambles for the last few weeks that I didn't have the time (and the energy) to blog about and show you quite a few layouts I created. I think now is a good time to clear a little bit of those "debts"! :D I'm bringing you all the pages I made for Designs by Anita during the past month!

(Can I congratulate myself yet again for coming up with this title? LOL! Okay, it might not be the 3 Z's that you requested, Ella, but I think it's quite awesome that I manage to use the names of 3 kits in the same title! Haha! Go me!)

Feel free to click on all images to go to stores or to see bigger size in gallery!

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For this first kit, I can't believe that I made these 2 pages almost a month ago! June 2010 seems to me like one big challenge to see how a person can still live and function with as little sleep as possible. LOL I guess I passed the challenge but just barely. Just.

This one is Delightful (available at ScrapInsider.) Oh what fun I had with this kit! I love the muted classic yet joyful colors. It makes me want to create something more thoughtful. Something very special to you.

Here are the two pages I made with the kit! One has Chris's story and the other one is of a cute church we found in Lebanon.

Journaling reads:
It is always difficult to get Papa to smile properly for the camera.
His smile sometimes looks so awkward that when you see the pictures,
you feel sorry for the poor guy.
The only time to capture his genuine smiles on film is when he's with Neill.
The boy can always be trusted to bring out the best in us.
{....Well, and sometimes the worst too.}

I used my Simply Secured template for this one. :)

Journaling reads:
We found this little church on top of a small hill
among the sea of tall mountains in northern Lebanon.
Something about it made us stop to take this photograph.
The fairytale-like building felt dreamy, cosy, serene, ..almost magical.
It was a delightful day.

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The next kit is Pieces of You (available at MScraps and Two Little Pixels), a collab kit between Anita and LieN of ClickPhoto Designs (who is one of my all-time favorite designers!) Look at the delicious colors in this kit! Great concept as well. I will definitely use the kit to make more layouts but sadly I only had time for one page so far.

I've always wanted to use this funny photo of Neill in a layout. The concept of this kit is just perfect for it!

Journaling reads:
eyes - incapable of seeing real persons when there's cartoon on TV
eyebrows - knitted together in a little frown when notified that McDonald's is not an option
ears - stop functioning right after the word 'homework' is mentioned
nose - marvels at finding stinky veggies in mom's delicately cooked meals
mouth - pout! pout! waa! waa! boo! boo!

The sum of all parts? .... One perfect little boy!

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Now this most recent kit is a HUGE one!!!! It's a big collab between Anita, Sabrina's Creations, Scooty's Designs, and AVDesigns called Lazy Summer Days (available at MScraps, TwoLittlePixels, ZigZagScrap and ScrapInsider too!) I absolutelly fell in love with the beautiful papers of this kit! The colors are also great for both boys and girls!

I made a 2-page layout with this kit. And you can click here to see both sides of this double pager in bigger size!

Journaling:
Feb 14, 2010 - At 6 years old, Valentine's Day means nothing and bubbles mean everything.

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There you have it! I still "owe" you some more layouts though. As soon as I have a few hours on my own I'll blog about them, I promise! :)

A piece of news before I go. Asa and I made a template for DSC's Template Challenge June 25 - July 2. If you have time, join us there! I hope you like the template. Click on the preview to go to the challenge thread and your download link. ;)

Talk to you later!

I've got some Love to share!

2010-06-20T16:01:00.004+07:00

Hi ladies! Didn't think I'll update my blog again so soon, huh? :) Well, I have to. LOL! I've got something nice to give you!

It's time again for Digital Scrap Cafe's Blog Train! This month our designers have put together another awesome collaboration kit! The kit is called "Girlish". Yeah.... After we did a "Boyish" one last month, it has to be the girls' turn!! Included in this collaboration are 110 elements, 70 papers, and 4 templates, all 469 MB for less than $5!!!! It's just so perfect for all of those girlie layouts (and I'm about to show you how great it is for a boyish one too. LOL)

Well, as you may have known, I only have a boy. But it's not hard at all to cook up a layout using this wonderful it. Here's what I made with it.

For our June Blog Train, you can have this layout as a QP! The word art in my page is not included ON the QP, but is included as a seperate file so you can use with this or any layout you see fit. It's an excerpt of a sonnet by one of my favorite poet, Pablo Neruda.

So, enjoy the QP, click here or on the preview image below to download! And, I appreciate all comments here. :)

Go to DSC blog for other links on the blog train! Because of the time difference, It might take a while though before all the stops are ready and updated. Please be patient. :)

Father's Day, Friendship, and a Free Template!!

2010-06-20T06:00:00.000+07:00

Can I congratulate myself for being able to find 3 words starting with F for the blog title? LOL! For the last blog post I put 3 G words as title and I thought it was quite fun but was also sure it would be a hard task to repeat. Ummm... (giving self a pat on the back) Not bad, Pom. Not bad at all! LOL!

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It's Sunday June 20th already here in Bangkok. In the US they celebrate Father's Day today. We don't really celebrate those occasions in our family, simply because we don't know when we should! LOL In Thailand, Father's and Mother's days are celebrated on the King's and the Queen's Birthdays, respectively. I don't really know when South Africa celebrate theirs. Usually Chris would call to remind me to give my in-laws (his parents) a celebratory call on those days, but honestly I couldn't keep track. LOL! (Bad girl!)

Lately I became more aware in advance about holidays and seasons in the US, only because designers make kits for those dates and times. Well, when you see other scrappers making a bunch of LOs about something, it can make you (me) want to try that as well. :D So....... I think Chris would be pleasantly surprised when he sees this.

I'm not going to spell out all the journaling here as I always did, coz it's kinda embarrasing. :D Though if you REALLY want to read, feel free to click on the image to see bigger picture.

I used the products of my friend Lisa (Aprilisa Designs) to create this layout. The papers and most elements are from this beautiful kit, At First Sight.

The doodled frame and metal alpha are also by Aprilisa Designs. All 3 products (the kit, the frames, the alpha) are included in Lisa's PU Grab Bag #2, available at DSC at a much discounted price too! :)

Lisa is taking a short break from scrapping and designing for a month to prepare to move to another country, India. I'm so wowed by her bold decision and very excited for her. Let's visit her blog to wish Lisa and her family a safe journey and successful settling in. I hope everything goes well so she can come back and be active in the digi world again soon!!

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Well, for someone who had taken a break and come back, Rachelle (RachNess Designs) are busier than ever! I'm not saying this just because she is a dear friend (whom I have never even met, LOL!) but she is such a smart and creative lady with great attitude towards life. And it shows in all her products.

For her latest kit Rach teamed up with another fabulous Filipina designer, LorieM Designs, to create A Cup of Kindness, a wonderful kit jampacked with unique mix of hand and vector-drawn goodies and doodles to celebrate friendships. Look how inspiring the kit is. Doesn't it remind you of childhood friends and the fun things you used to do together?

Great news! In buying this full kit, you will get a quickpage set (of 4 pages) , an alpha pack, and a word art pack too!

You can also buy the Alpha and QP packs individually, just check Rach's store here for more info.

Oh how I love to play with the kit and show you want I can do with it, but I honestly didn't have enough time. I will make and show here later for sure. But for now, you can pop in Rach's blog to see the layouts by LorieM's CT and MScraps CT as well. And when you're finished there, head over to SassyIndy's blog for a treat!

Indy is also a huge source of inspiration for me. Her sophisticated and complicated doodles are absolutely marvelous. I can never do what she does with her Art Journal projects in a million years. LOL! This time she has a quickpage made with Rach's A Cup of Kindness kit to offer as a freebie! Enjoy. :)

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Last but not least, it's my turn again to host this week's Template Challenge at Digital Scrap Cafe's forum. This time I turned an old layout of mine to a template. That layout had actually been packaged along with 2 others and given away as quickpage freebies a while back. You can still get those quickpages from here if you want them.

Anyway, here's what the free template for the challenge looks like! I hope you like it! Click on the image or click here, it will take you to the challenge thread where you can find the download link! :)

Yes, I used the template for the Father's Day layout I showed you earlier. (Or should I say I scraplifted myself? Ummm....??) Anyway, come join me at the DSC forum if you can make it! The winner of the challenge will get $$ to shop at Aprilisa's store!

Enjoy the template and I hope to see you there! :)

A Girl, a Great News, and a Gift!

2010-06-11T23:47:00.001+07:00

Sometimes I have such a love/hate relationship with scrapbooking. LOL! The only reason for that is because I'm so sloooooooow at it. I started this thread in Digital Scap Cafe forum to find out how much time other people are spending on a layout of theirs (Feel free to jump in and join the discussion!!), and that's when I realize how bad I am. :D Well, what can I do??? I need 24 hours (at least) to make a decent layout (for me!) LOL

Anyway, slow or not, the outcomes always make the hobby worthwhile. Those wonderful moments when a page is finished are what keeping me going. I've got some to show today.

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I found this out the other day and it still stunned me! Some of you who are very observant might noticed that I have a brand new blinkie on the right side of the blog. Yes, the Woohoo! one. Have you tried clicking on it? :)

Thanks, Scrappersonline! It's a real honor to be among such an amazing company!

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After a long break from designing to take care of her health and her work, Rachelle (Rachness Designs) is back with a vengeance! LOL! She has a bunch of fab new products in store and I got to play with some of them!

I Love Being a Girl - 20% off till Monday @ MScraps

Chalky - 20% off till Monday @MScraps

So Simple Photo Masks and Borders Pack 3

Here's the page I made with I Love Being a Girl and one of the So Simple borders. I love this great picture of my hubby's grand niece Deandré so much. It's taken by her Papa last year. Her smile is so infectious that I just have to scrap it. :)

To celebrate Rach's being back and, of course, my own good news, you can enjoy this layout too. I made a quickpage out of it! You can click here or on the preview image to download. Please leave a few words if you like it, will you? :)

Enjoy! :)

Drowning

2010-06-11T17:47:00.003+07:00

I'm seriously drowning.

Between Neill starting a new semester and me having to drive him around for extra classes; rushing to finish those translating/editing jobs that are ALWAYS urgent; designing a brochure for a charity project; and fulfilling my CT commitments, ....I feel pulled from every direction. I want to sleep more. I want to exercise regularly again. I just don't have time for them now. :(

I definitely need to set my priorities straight, or I'm gonna become a mental wreck soon.

Sorry for the rambling. Just have to let it out somewhere, somehow.... Disregard this.

Sightseeing in Paris of the Middle East

2010-05-29T04:22:00.001+07:00

Are there still 24 hours in a day? I personally can't believe so. Somebody must have taken some off and I must have missed the news! :D Sometimes time can fly so fast and you just can't keep up with it. What do you do then? Well, you just grit your teeth and push on anyway. Because that's the only option. :)

* * * * *

I've been looking for so long for the right kit to scrap those pictures I took from the old souk at Byblos, the ancient port town in Lebanon. This week I found one and it couldn't be more perfect. The kit is Mademoiselle from Paris by Lilipruneau.

I made a double pager with the kit about our day at the souk. The page is called "Paris of the Middle East". (Please click on images for bigger views. It will open in a new tab/window.)

Journaling reads:
When Lebanon is not too busy with wars, travellers know Beirut well as 'Paris of the Middle East', a culture-rich, artsy holiday destination full of beautiful scenery and also a shopping paradise. We never fully realised how true that was until we visited the restored medieval souk (local market) of Byblos.

{1} A stone-paved alley leading you to the heart of the souk {2} All kinds of local art and crafts can be found here. Other than colorful toys for children, one popular souvenir seemed to be the hookahs -- oriental tobacco pipes that filter smoke through water {3} One fabulous shop specialised in potpouri had buckets of dried colorful petals on display next to the sidewalk {4} Most cute cafe were still quiet in the strong heat of that afternoon {5} Our rare family picture taken after the huge shopping spree

* * * * *

Coincidentally it's also my turn to host the Template Challenge this week (May 28 to June 4) at Digital Scrap Cafe forum. So I turned this double pager into templates to give away for the challenge. I hope you like them!!

Please click on the preview image to go to the challenge thread. The download link is waiting for you there. And if you like the template, would you let me know and leave some comments here at the blog or on 4shared or, even better, join the challenge, please? :)

I hope you can find time to play with me! The winner of this challenge will win $3 coupon to Lilipruneau's Store at Digital Scrap Cafe. Thank you so much, Lili, for your generosity!!!

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. If you visit Lili's blog, you will find 2 QP freebies from the kit Mademoiselle in Paris too. Enjoy!

Tata for now. See ya at the challenge thread! :)

Let's take a Trail to the Past and have some Outdoor Fun!

2010-05-22T23:47:00.001+07:00

A little personal note from me:

I'd like to say thanks to all friends in the scrapbooking community who (after noticing that I've been scrapping like a maniac lately..LOL) saw the news about Thailand and asked through forums, PM, facebook messages, etc., if I and my family are safe from the violent situation. I'm touched by your concern. Thank you so much. :)

Where we live is quite far from all the actions and for the most part it doesn't really affect us. But emotionally it's taking its toll on everyone. Even Neill's school is closed until further notice. I've actually been avoiding the news and talking about it, for it could be so sad and depressing beyond words. That's why I'd rather stay in my little world, and scrap. I just want to escape.

Anyway, we are hoping that it will be over soon and we can get a chance to put our lives back on track. Please keep your fingers crossed for us! :)

* * * * *

We took a whole lot of pictures from during our stay in Lebanon and I've always looked for a chance to use them in layouts. So I think you can understand why I screamed out loud when I saw Anita's latest kit, Outdoor Fun (available at 2LP and MScraps and now on sale for 25% off!) The kit is perfect for all outdoor activities and still "quiet" enough to scrap scenery and let the pictures shine. I just love it.

Another Anita's product coming out at the same time is Cracked Masks, a set of 6 masks with cracks and teared edges. Love the grungy feeling they give the page!

I use both products for this double pager with our photos from a trip to Baalbek, a World Heritage site in Lebanon. The page is called "Trail to the Past". (Please click on images for bigger view.)

Journaling reads:
Baalbek, Lebanon - The Baalbek museum was housed in a large vaulted tunnel. It is very well designed and full of replicas and real artifacts found among the ruins. What I like the most was actually the delicate drawings of all architectural designs. These are some of them.

Journaling reads:
It was hot and sunny that morning the day we visited Baalbek - the ancient World Heritage site in Lebanon. But then as soon as we arrived, it rained.We were totally unprepared for the coldness and the rain made it hard to take photos, but we decided to brave the weather. And we weren't disappointed in the least.
These 20m. tall granite Roman columns have been standing through wars and earthquakes since the first century B.C. The sheer size of them is intimidating enough. However, the most astonishing thing about the whole Roman temple ruins is the determination and engineering ingenuity of those ancient builders.
It was such a memorable and humbling experience for all, especially for Neill and Michael who looked just like tiny ants comparing to the gigantic Roman pillars!

* * * * *

Before I wrap this up, just want to let you know that there's a Scraplift Challenge going on at Digital Scrap Cafe's forum hosted by Brooke. She chose my layout "A Gentleman's Game" as the subject to lift. Please visit the thread and play with us. I can't wait to see what you can do with the page! :)

Bavardages and Say What?

2010-05-16T14:31:00.002+07:00

First things first. :) I just want to let you know that you can click here to read this blog in French, thanks to Google Translate.

I include the translation because I'm excitedly anticipating a number of French-speaking visitors today. I had a chance to work with Lilipruneau (who is French) for her new kit "Bavardages" (available at Lili's store at Digital Scrap Cafe). And, along with a group of amazing scrappers, we are having a blog train to share some free goodies with you!! I have a feeling that I might be the only non-French speaker on the team, so thank you so much for tolerating my English. :)

Here is this super cute and creative kit we are so thrilled about.

Like all kits of Lilipruneau, this one is full of unique elements and patterns that give you so much joy to create with. I made a double page with the kit that works as single pages too.

(Please click here to see the bigger image of this double page. It will open in new tab/window)

Credits:
All papers and elements from kit Bavardages by Lilipruneau
Fonts are Homework by Colorful Typhoon and Ikusuteito by Extate

Journaling reads:
In the span of 5 minutes. Mama managed to snap more than 2 dozen pictures of you racing toy cars with Papa. Yet I was constantly asking for more. Your ever-changing facial expressions were so delicious through the camera's lens that I just couldn't get enough of them!

Lilipruneau is the Designer in the Spotlight at Digital Scrap Cafe during this last 2 weeks of May! So don't forget to stop by her store and enjoy this special sale. Then hop on to DSC forum where you can take her Template Challenge and win some fabulous rewards!
* * * * *

Now let's talk freebies. LOL! For this stop of the blog train, you are getting not one, but TWO sets of goodies! One would be from me and another from Åsa (who's busy running a party for 22 kids today! Well, good luck with that, Åsa! I hope you make it out alive! LOL)

Let's start with Åsa's first! She has these two fun quickpages for you. Click here or on image to download. :)

I took the concept and colors of the Bavardages kit and created a set of 7 word arts (a total of 22 variations of them) for you. It's called "Say what?" You can download it here or just click on image below! (Need I remind you how much I love reading comments? LOL)

That's it for me! The next stop is Melany's blog, and she would have some goodies waiting for you as well.

Please be patient if the others on the blog train are not ready yet. Our train has to travel across time zones and continents so it might take some time for everyone to catch up. You can always visit Lilipruneau's blog for the whole list and check back later! I hope you enjoy the ride! :)

A Gentleman's Game and a Boyish Blog Train!!

2010-05-15T13:07:00.004+07:00

Hi all. I know, it doesn't seem like me to be blogging so often. LOL! Well, I have to! I have something to share with you and it can't wait. It comes on a train!! :)

Yes, it's May 15 and we have a date with the Digital Scrap Cafe's May Blog Train! This month the designers at DSC got together and created this wonderfully HUGE and FUN kit called "Boyish" for all boys and outdoors activities! I fell in love with this kit at first sight.

I made a double page with this kit. I was so inspired by all the papers and elements that I couldn't help myself. I would probably use the kit again to scrap in a near future.

Here is the double page, it's called A Gentleman's Game.

Please click here to see bigger image of the double page. It will open in another tab/window.

Credits:
Papers and elements from Boyish, a May collaboration by Digital Scrap Cafe
Template by Le Pingouin Designs, included in the Boyish kit
Clear acrylic alpha from Alphabet Soup: Basics by Dunia Designs
Fonts: Gill Sans MT, Felix Titling

Journaling reads:
Neill has been playing golf since he was tall and strong enough to hold a junior club. And that was when he's two and a half. His golf game improves a lot from then although he still has so much to learn, starting from the most basic thing like how he stands.

But the only thing that we think is keeping him from playing better now, is his age. He still has the mentality and emotions of a six-year-old. He is so exhilirated after a good shot that he couldn't concentrate enough on the next.
Then he cries after losing a ball in the water. And can we really blame him for that? After all, he is indeed a six-year-old!

There is yet a lot of time to grow up and be a gentleman. For now, just enjoy a gentleman's game and have fun!!!

* * * * *

So now, my gift for you. For the DSC's May Blog Train, I turned my double page into 2 quickpages! You can either use them seperately or together as you wish. Would you consider leaving a word or two here if you download? You know how much I like reading them. :) Here's your download link or you can just click on the preview image below.

Next stop on the blog train is Loni (Lingovise). She's happily waiting for you with her freebie. Please send her my love as well! :) If you got lost or fell off the train along the way, you can always go back to the DSC blog to find out where all the stops are. Enjoy!

I'll be back here in the next 24 hours for another freebie. !?!?! Yes, it's true. No kidding! See ya.

Embrace Life

2010-05-13T21:28:00.004+07:00

We're back in Bangkok!!! It might sound cliché but I've just really realised how friggin' hot my country is. LOL! The weather is steaming and everyone (especially Neill) is walking around sweating like a pig! :(

Since I'm now blogging in the oven, I hope you would understand why I want to keep this as short as possible. (As if I can do short. Haha! We'll see...)

* * * * *

I told you two posts ago about joining Designs by Anita's CT, and in that post I said I already finished 2 LOs using Anita's new kit. Wrong!!! Now I have three! LOL! I can't believe myself either. This kit brings out the creative juice in me like nothing else!

Here it is, Embrace Life, the new collab kit between Anita and Sabrina's Creations, available @ Two Little Pixel and MScraps:

Like I said, in the end I finished 3 pages using this classically beautiful kit. And I just found out that for all the 3 layouts, each with its own concept, I haven't had to use the same papers or elements twice! That's how versatile the kit is.

Here are my pages. This first one is called 'Laugh or Cry'. I use Embrace Life with a template in Simply Joy add-on by Anita and Val C. Designs, also available at 2LP and MScraps. Journaling was part of the song 'Angel in My Eyes' written by Blair Daly. The page brought me such joy. It was featured in 3 (!!!) Gallery Standout (GSO) threads: at ScrapMatters, DigiShopTalk, and MScraps forums! (All images are clickable for more detailed viewing.)

For the second page I used the fabulous photos of Dunia's gorgeous twin girls, Rafa and Duda.

And then for the last page, which was actually done first, I picked a scene from Tyre (rhyme with 'ear'), Lebanon, to scrap about. The page is called 'Calm among Chaos', and it's absolutely one of my favorites.

Journaling reads:
You can see cables and power lines everywhere in the town of Tyre, Lebanon. We don't know whether it is because there are too many or not enough electricians here, but no matter where you go, there will be uncountable amount of cables crisscrossing from one pole to another, from this roof to that balcony, and so on.

Although undoubtedly dangerous and scary, it actually looks amazing, like a piece of three dimensional abstract art that happens to be hung over your head, with the sky as the canvas.

One day we drove into town and noticed this minaret (mosque tower) standing tall above all the confusing lines. It's such a great reminder that peace can be found anywhere, even among chaos. You just have to look, and work hard enough for it.

I'll be back on May 15! Yes, that soon!! Digital Scrap Cafe's May Blog Train is gonna be chugging along that day, bringing you nice freebies again! See ya! :)

Charity and Gallery Standout

2010-05-09T12:22:00.005+07:00

As Dunia's CT, I've had an amazing opportunity to work with a fabulous kit that came from a heartbreaking situation. I won't be able to tell you the story half as well as the wonderful ladies who created this kit. So, please take a few minutes to read this. The text is from Deca Designs' blog:

* * * * *

Let me tell you a story.

Leonardo was a healthy bright and smart 4 years old little boy, who went to school and had a quiet life with his parents and twin little brothers, Lucas and Alexandre, until his mother Ana Paula started noticing that something was not going very well with him. As he became a sad boy, had a distorted sight, complained about headhaches, and he wouldn't walk the same way and no longer had much coordination.

Leo went through several doctors before being diagnosed with a brain stem tumor in late September 2009.

In October 2009, they moved to Sao Paulo to begin his battle against cancer. First a brain surgery to remove the tumor, followed by chemotherapy sessions.

After several sessions and much struggle, in April 2010 Leonardo needed a bone marrow autograft, because the chemotherapy had to be so aggressive that destroyed it, leaving him very weak.

Right now the doctors are very hopeful with the treatment and the response given by the body of this admirable little warrior.

Currently, the family moved to Sao Paulo, because it is there that Leonardo is being monitored medically, Leonardo and his family have fallen on hard times because Leo's mother left her job in Dourados to devote to her child, and his father who worked in South Africa, also had to leave his job and return to be able to take care of he twins as mother and Leo would have to spend long periods at hospital and they didn't have no one else that could take care of the twins that were only some months old at the time.

They are now facing serious financial problems for the payment of all treatments and costs with the struggle of Leonardo.

Above all the struggle and hard times, this family is an example of love, strength, courage, unity and faith to be followed by all of us!

This is our little and precious Leonardo, before and after.

Inspired on Leo's life, this month we are starting a new project at Digiscrappers Brasil. It's a charity project that we called Charity with Love and our idea is to have a new one every three month.

This is a project that aims to help needy people of the Brazilian community. With so many projects like this that happen in digital scrapbooking stores outside Brazil, we thought, "Why not create something like this also to help people in Brazil?". And so, with the will, commitment and effort of our designers we created this wonderful kit.

Charity with Love for May is this absolutely stunning childhood themed mega kit. My Wish for You! So this is our newest kit for you.

Help us HELP Leo and his family by purchasing this wonderful MegaKit and Album which was created by many wonderfully generous scrappers. Or you can purchase both products in a big bundle, available at 20% discount at Digiscrappersbrasils store.

Please help and spread the word if you can. They are counting on us.

* * * * *

I made a page with this kit. It's a page I'm very proud of.

(Please click on image for bigger view.)
Credits:Journaling is from a part of "I wish you love" lyrics by Albert A. Beach
All papers and elements from Charity with Love Project: My Wish for You maga collab kit by Digiscrappersbrasil designers
Fonts are PS Pimpdeed III and JaneAusten.

I thought having the chance to create with this kit was special enough, but good news didn't stop there. Yesterday I put this layout into galleries and went to bed. This morning, I found out that the page was mentioned in Digishoptalk (DST) Gallery Standouts thread. I was totally over the moon!!

But that's not it! I went through my emails and found that there's a message in MyScrapbookArt (MSA) gallery telling me that the page has been featured in THE Gallery Standouts blog as well!!!! I can't believe my eyes! It felt like winning an Oscar for scrapbooking or something. (If Oscars were handed out daily, that is. LOL) All the time I've been doing this, the blog has been a huge source of inspiration. So, no doubt, I feel so honored and flattered.

I'm gonna stop talking and go make myself a celebratory cup of coffee now. :)

The last time you did something for the first time..

2010-05-03T23:34:00.001+07:00

When was it? :)

Well there's one this week for me. I was asked by Anita (of Designs by Anita) to be her guest CT. (I would have begged to be on her team later but she beat me to it. LOL!) I have done many layouts using her kits as DSC store CT but this is the first time I'll be on Anita's own team. I'm so excited!

And I was even more excited to learn that the first kit I got to work with as her CT is this super gorgeous one which is a collab between Anita and Sabrina's Creations. Take a look at this sneak peek!

The kit will be at Two Little Pixels and MScraps from May 7. I have finished 2 pages using this wonderful kit and I can't wait, I repeat, CAN't WAIT to show you. LOL! But I still have to sit on them until then. Hmmph!

In the mean time, Anita is holding a RAK at her blog!!!! You will have a chance to win this beauty for FREE. And even better, you can participate in both Anita's and Sabrina's blog to double you chance to win the kit! It's such a fun RAK too, you just have to go there and read what Anita plans for you. :)

* * * * *

There's another first thing that we did during our stay in Lebanon. Seeing and touching real snow!!! Let me show you how excited we were with this double pager (which is mentioned in ScrapMatters GSO! Woohoo!)

Journaling reads: When was the last time you did something for the first time? For Neill, Michael, and Mama, it's March 23, 2010, when we got to see and touch real snow for the first time in our lives! Papa drove us high up on the winding roads to the Cedars area of Lebanon, almost 2km. above sea level. Since it's already the last days of winter here, there wasn't a lot of snow left. We enjoyed ourselves nontheless. Neill kept on running up and down the tiny teeny snow slope then fell on his bum over and over. We vowed to come back in winter next year so we can learn to ski. Can't wait to try THAT for the first time!

The layout was created from Designs by Anita's A New Morning kit, now available at 2LP and MS!

More stories and scrapbook pages from our experience in Lebanon to come. When I have time, that is. LOL! We're going back to Bangkok very soon, though. Right now I'm taking pictures like crazy!

Don't forget to visit Anita's blog for her RAK! :)

Made a free template again!

2010-04-23T18:17:00.002+07:00

This is just gonna be a quick one to let you know that I have a template to share with you again! But first, let me say thanks to all the great and kind comments you ladies left for my last post. You are the best! I replied to you all there. :)

I'm hosting this week's (April 23-30) Template Challenge at Digital Scrap Cafe forum and you are all invited to join in! I played with cutters and got you some cut-through papers, stacked them up and, voila!, a new template is born. I like the depth it gives the page! I also made a little stamp/brush for you too!

The preview image will take you to the challenge thread where you can find the download link! The link will stay there during the week but afterwards it will be here, at this blog. :)

I created my sample page for the challenge using Pixelily Designs' Vanilla Twilight kit. I love this one's tender and warm colors.

Here's what I created with the template and the kit:

We were at the Byblos port, sitting in a cute seaside restaurant waiting for our lunch. I caught Chris looking so thoughtful and couldn't resist taking this photograph and scrapping it. The journaling is quite embarrasing, LOL, but I'll share it here. (Hey, it's my blog. Surely I can stand being embarrassed by myself? Ha!) It's part of the song How Deep Is Your Love and ended with a message from me, "As corny as it (the lyrics) is, you know it's true for us. :)"

That's all for now. I believe I'll be back with some surprise blogging soon. :) Now head to the DSC forum and have fun with me at the template challenge, would you? There will be TWO winners at the end of the challenge who will receive free coupons from Pixelily Designs!

a note for my country and a gift of Love!

2010-04-19T16:31:00.002+07:00

I'd like to start with a personal note as usual, if you don't mind. :)

I am Thai. If you watched the international news for all the last week, you might have seen that things haven't been easy in my home country. It breaks my heart. And now that we are so far away in Lebanon, there is not so much we can do. (And I doubt we'd be able to do anything much if we're there either.) It's even more depressing when you think that it's the week that we're supposed to be celebrating Songkran (Thai New Year holiday -- between April 13-15), with our famous Water Festival. Instead of splashes of water and smiles, we had a lot of anger and hatred on the streets this year. :(

I will not get into anything politics related here, just want to share some hope for love and peace to come back to my country. And, of course, I chose to express my feelings through some scrapbooking layouts.

* * * * *

Dúnia is back from her pregnancy break full throttle! She has two new products in store this month and they are absolutely fabulous! She is also a featured designer at The Daily Digi this month. You can read all the fun facts about Dúnia here. The product she made for The Digi File is called Upside Down and it's full of fun elements and doodles! I love it!

She also has a new template set out and this one is so special! (If you have seen Ivana Alves's ultra amazing layouts before you'd know what I mean! LOL) It's called Be Inspired by Ivana, available at both DSB and ZZS:

I used Upside Down with a template in the Ivana set and came up with this page. This happy picture of 3-year-ago Neill somehow makes the present situation in Thailand seem even more gloomy by comparison.

"Make Splash, Not War"

Journaling reads:
This fun picture of Neill was taken three years ago
when we were celebrating Songkran holiday (Thai New Year) in Phuket.
This year we are in Lebanon, so far away from home,
and all the gloomy news from Thailand does its best in getting us out of the celebrating mood almost completely.

If we can have one wish for the New Year,
It would be for peace and love to come back to our beautiful country.
Let the joyful spirit of Songkran make people come to their senses and finally see what is best for the country.
Instead of bullets, blood, and hatred, let's splash each other with cool, clean, and refreshing water
to calm our temper in the manner that Songkran has been celebrated all along.

I personally don't like seeing kids play with guns, even a water gun for that matter,
but after watching the news where there are people with real guns
walking around the once beautiful and serene neighborhood,
I'd take the water guns over that any day! - April 13, 2010

* * * * *

Another page I made last week was from the wonderfully lovely kit of Pixelily Designs, Love Is All Around. Lily is a brand new designer at Digital Scrap Cafe, but she is by no means a new name in digiscrapping community. She's been designing and giving away freebies with a group of friends -- now known as the Jakarta Scrappers -- for a long while. (A member of the group is Lisa of Aprilisa Designs, who's not at all a stranger to this blog. LOL)

During the new store celebration period, a lot of Pixelily products are on sale (this one is 50% off!) so don't miss this opportunity!

Here is what I made with Love Is All Around:

"Give Peace a Stance"

Journaling reads:
With a heavy heart I pray for my motherland. No more fighting, no more bloodshed, no more hatred. I pray for love and peace. ...Give love a chance. Give peace a stance.

* * * * *

Well, let's end this long post with a gift of love from Lily and me! You can have the layout I made for the kit as a quickpage for your personal scrapping projects! I'm giving you the word art I created for the page as an extra gift too. :)

You can click on the image below to download from 4shared. Enjoy!

I'm still alive, and come bearing gift :)

2010-04-15T11:59:00.002+07:00

Hi there! I know it's been a month since my last blog. No excuse at all. LOL! We're alive and having a great time here in Lebanon. I managed to take a lot of pictures (I know I have told you this but I'll tell you time and time again, I LOVE my Canon 500D! LOL,) and scrapped a lot! There are a few recent pages that I want to show you but let's wait just a few more days for that. Because, today -- as the title says -- I come bearing gift!

It's time for Digital Scrap Cafe's Blog Train again! For this month, we worked with the kids in mind. Do you have small kids who are still going through potty training or need to be reminded to brush his/her teeth before going to bed? Or are your kids big enough to have chores or help out around the house and need to be rewarded? Or do you homeschool or need to keep tabs on his/her school subjects? We believe we have something for you.

This month we work with the DSC designers' April collab kit "Spring Garden". A fabulously bright and huge kit (with 98 papers, 161 elements, 2 alphas, and 4 layered templates!) I really wish the preview shows you more of the papers which are absolutely detailed and beautifully textured. I totally love it!

For this blog train, I made two A4 sized chore chart QPs (with blank space for you to put the little one's picture in) and some tags so you can choose to use with the charts as you please. Here they are:

You may click on the preview image to download from 4shared.

I'm the first stop for this blog train. So now you can hop on to Kristen's blog and she will have something awesome waiting for you too. Since DSC is a true international community, we don't really wake up at the same time. LOL So please allow 24 hours for all the blogs to update and check back as often as you want to. If you get lost along the way, you can always pop in the Digital Scrap Cafe's blog to see the links to all participating blogs. And while you're there, don't forget to check out other cool stuff we have to offer too. *wink*

If you find this blog train useful, would you consider leaving comments here or letting us know at the DSC forum? We are really trying to do something different this time and don't just follow what others in the scrapping community like to give on blog trains. We know that these chore charts and relating items might not appeal to everybody but we hope that the stuff will really be put to good use for the children, not just something to collect for moms. :)

I'll be back in a few days with something else to share. So, stay tuned!

Bringing you Early Spring on the DSC Blog Train!

2010-03-14T22:27:00.005+07:00

Can you believe how fast this year is going? We were just celebrating New Year the other day and next thing you know it's already the middle the 3rd month! Urrgghh! I won't even start about how much of the New Year Resolutions I get done. Ha! (So don't ask. LOL!)

In Thailand, it's now time for the children to celebrate. School is over for the academic year and the long summer break has started. We are taking this opportunity to go for a looooooong vacation in Lebanon!

Yes, I and my son Neill will be visiting my DH for 2 months! (Sounds a bit like a mini-relocation than a vacation, huh?) My stepson, Michael, will also take time off from work and fly to join us for 2 weeks. Woohoo! Chris said it's nice and cool there now so I'm glad to stay away from Thailand's heat (temperature wise or political wise!) for a little while.

I probably won't be blogging or even scrapping so often during these 2 months. Not only because we'll be having great fun there (fingers crossed), I also heard that the internet connection and electricity in Lebanon is not very stable. I won't know for sure until we get there if I still can download kits (especially big ones) to scrap. Will keep you posted on this.

Anyway, even if I can't scrap, I'll definitely take a whole lot of pictures there! My DSLR camera is safely packed, along with all of its accesories and even a tripod! I hope my EHD has enough space for all the pics to come!!! Wish me luck please. :)

* * * * *

Okay, now.. the Blog Train! Spring has finally come to a lot of you who have endured the coldness of winter! It's so nice to see Spring kits everywhere in this little scrapping world. So refreshing! The fabulous designers of Digital Scrap Cafe have this fantastic collab kit for you to celebrate your Early Spring as well!

I'm telling you, this kit is HUGE!!! It has 69 papers, 122 elements, 1 set of glitter styles, and 4 layered (and png) templates. You can scrap with it all spring long. LOL! But for now, we'll whet your appetite with all these brag book pages on the blog train!

If you love 6x4 brag book, you'll absolutely enjoy this DSC Early Spring blog train. Some of you must have followed the train here from Di's blog? Well here are my pages:

Just click on the image or click here to download. And you know I'd love it so much if you leave some comment, right? :)

Waiting for you at the next stop is Isabelle (Zibr1). Please tell her I say Hi!!

If you get lost along the way, check the DSC blog here to see where all the stops are. :)

Don't worry if all the blogs are not ready or updated yet when you first visit. Just go back after a few hours. We're all living in different time zones around this beautiful world after all.

#Edited to add: Sorry! This post is supposed to go live on March 15, the date we set for the Blog Train. I was going to draft it and schedule it to publish later. But I accidentally hit Publish Post button instead of Save as Draft. Silly me! Now you just have to wait a while longer until other ladies are ready. LOL!#

* * * * *

Hope you enjoy the blog train. If you like the stuff we're giving, there are a lot more at the DSC forum. And why not participate in some great challenges we have there too? Great prizes are to be had at all time.

See ya!

Something to lift, something to give

2010-03-07T15:50:00.001+07:00

Sorry for the disappearing act!! I lost my blogging mojo for a while but life in other aspects goes on as usual. I have so many layouts that I should be showing here but I'm afraid it's going to be later (again.)

Today I'm just gonna blog quickly so that I can go and prepare Neill for his end of semester final exam tomorrow. He's not very happy about that, let me tell ya. LOL! The only thing that keeps him going is the fact that summer break starts right after the exam!

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I'm hosting the Scraplift Challenge at Digital Scrap Cafe forum from now to March 13! This time I choose a stunning LO by Jasje for us to lift. It’s called Dream.

The layout is so nice and clean and has an amazing composition that just inspires you to get creative and do fantastic things with it.

Of course I created my version to kick off the challenge. I used a beautiful and delicate new kit by Sabrina's Creations My Little One for it.

So, let your imagination free and have fun scraplifting Jasje's great page!! Great prizes are waiting too. The winner will get $4 coupon to Sabrina’s store. All participants will earn 5 digibytes each, plus one extra if using DSC stuff!

Let's go to the Scraplift Challenge thread and scrap away!

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Now, something to give.

In January I made this page (called 50 per cent) to document a personal difficult situation. Before I started, I had a clear picture of it in my head and I knew exactly which kit I was going to use. I didn't have a suitable photo for it though, so I went and took one. I came back with the memory card and started scrapping, then finished the page in just about an hour -- which is much less than what I usually do. It tells exactly how I felt at that time.

Well, in short, I made a template out of the page. I don't know if anyone else would like it too, as this is not a stunning or meticulously crafted layout in a conventional way. But I don't recall having seen free templates with a light source and many different layers of lights and shadows before. So I'm hoping it's different and interesting enough to some who might like stranger things. LOL!

I call this template Dazed and Confused, to reflect my mood when I created the page. If you think it can be useful to you, be my guest. Click on the preview image or here to download. Please consider leaving some comments too if you like it. Thanks!!

I love my new Canon 500D!!

2010-02-23T14:50:00.002+07:00

Oh yeah! I LOVE IT!! It has always been my dream to own a DSLR camera. And ever since I started scrapping seriously, this dream had become quite an intense desire! LOL! I had tried to save money for one but there was always some other neccessities to spend money on.

Well, then my Knightmare in shining armour stepped in. (A small footnote here: Our name is Knight, so my pet name for my hubby is Knightmare. LOL) He promised to buy me one as my Birthday/New Year gift! My Birthday is actually in September but at that time he was still in Lebanon so we agreed to wait until we could find the right one here in Bangkok. So, finally, the right one was found!!! Yay!!!

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However, with a whole lot of crazy stuff going on around here, the camera was sitting pretty in its box until Feb 14, when we celebrated Valentine's Day and Chinese New Year by gathering at PaMam's house for a good clean fun. Bubbles!!

I was so excited about the camera that I practically forgot to take care of the children. All I did was shoot and keep away from the splashes and bubbles. Hehe. Lucky for me that PaMam and NaMee were there and all the kids had such a great time they hardly missed me.

Anyway, here are some pictures we took that day. All of them were doctored with the Gimp, obviously, because I'm still completely new to DSLR so all the colors/light exposure were pretty much off. (Plus, these were taken around 5pm in a cloudy day!) But I'm happy with how they turned out!

By the way, they're not all my children. :) The girl in blue is PaMam's daughter, Prima. The boy with plaid shirt with cute smile is also PaMam's, Sinat. The lady in pink is PaMam herself while the red-blouse lady in the group shot is NaMee, PaMam's sister. Last but not least, the dreamy-eyed boy in red is Neill, and this one is mine. :)

All the cute doodles are from Rachness Designs's So Simple Masks and Borders pack 1 and pack 2. Lovely, aren't they? Thank you so much, Rach!!!

I'll be back very soon with some layouts I made with other pictures I took that day. :) Thanks for dropping by!

Time for DSC Blog Train once again!

2010-02-15T04:59:00.005+07:00

Dear blog readers,

I absolutely hate to spoil you but it seems like that's all I do these days. LOL! Freebies are here to collect again, my 4th freebie of February, can you believe it?? I can't!!! It's getting sooooo often now that I'm almost tempted to change this blog's name into Pom's Freebie Room!! Ha!

I promise you that there will be no freebies next week. None! Zero! Nada! LOL! Though today you are gonna have to endure yet another oh-so-nice free stuff one more time. *sigh* Do you think you (and your EHD) can handle that? :)

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Anyway, here it comes! The Digital Scrap Cafe Blog Train is here once again! This time we play with the huge and cute February Collab kit by the fabulous designers of DSC.

Now I must tell you, I LOVE the kit. This is not your typical Valentine's kit with predictable color schemes at all. I like its richer and more classic tone that, along with many design styles of designers involved, give you a whole lot of freedom to play with your creativity.

I have shown you the page I made with this kit, the one for Dúnia's twin girls, Rafa and Duda, at the last blog post. Now you can see a lot more of this kit at play, and you can own them as well! Just hop on this DSC Blog Train and ride with us to all the stops, picking up freebies along the way, and you'll end up with a whole book of 4x6" pages to keep!

Here's my part for the DSC February Blog Train.

You can just click on the image or here for the download link! Leave a little comment here and be on your way to the next pages! Debbie is now waiting for you with more of her stuff. Tell her I say Hello too, will ya? :)

Just a few more things to remind you! If you get lost along the way, or want to start over or just check if you have gone to all the stops, you might want to go to Digital Scrap Cafe's blog, where you can find all the links to all the blogs at the same time!

And please remember that we are a true international community, with members and participants scattered around the world. So if the freebie hasn't appeared on the blog yet by the time you drop by, do not panic. :) Just try again a bit later and You'll certainly find what you want eventually.

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Another leeeeeeetle news before I'll go blog-hopping myself. LOL. This week's Template Challenge at DSC is something totally fabulous! Val of Val C. Designs is offering you a free double-page template to play with, plus a chance to win $$ to her store as well! Take a look.

Just click on the preview image or here for more info on the challenge. Or drop by the DSC forum and check out all the challenges yourself. There are sill lots of prizes to win and freebies to collect in there if you look hard enough. LOL!

See ya!

Two babies, one challenge, and one QP

2010-02-13T01:47:00.003+07:00

I've got many great things to share with you today but sadly due to a massive migraine attack, I can't really be the usual upbeat self right now. So I'll keep everything short. :)

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Anita of Designs by Anita and Val of Val C. Designs are having a new tremendously joyful collab kit out called Simply Joy, and now they are giving you a chance to win their add-on set of 4 templates and 4 quickpages for free! All you have to do is make a layout that shows JOY!! and post in this thread at Digital Scrap Cafe forum by Feb. 19, 20.00 CET.

Interested? Click here or on the preview image below for details!

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The wait is over! :) Dúnia has just given birth to two absolutely beautiful baby girls, Rafaela and Eduarda, on Feb 4, 2010. Yay!!! Let's head over to her blog here, or her personal blog here, to congratulate her for the new members of the cute family!

She is now taking a little break from designing to take care of the girls. But right now you can have your own little celebration too because Dúnia's whole stores, both at DigiScrappersBrasil and at ZigZagScraps, are on sale 50% off for the whole February! Enjoy!
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I saw some pictures of Rafa and Duda (Dúnia's twin) and really couldn't help myself. They are just so cute and I just had to make a layout with their pictures right away. Here's the first one I made for them, using DSC's February Collab kit with Scrap with Brooke's template.

A little toot, this layout is added to DSC's GSO thread too!

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And later on that same day, I received a perfectly cute kit from my dear friend Rachelle of Rachness Designs called Blushing Dolls to play with. (The kit is now 30% off at the store.) I immediately thought of the two baby dolls of Dúnia and made another page for them.

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So now's good news for you. Rach is just as lovely as all her doodles and products as usual, and she kindly allows me to turn this one into a sweet little QP for you. Here it is, or just click on preview image below if you are interested.

If you like this, maybe you'll like another QP from the same kit as well? Indy is also sharing a quickpage she made from Blushing Dolls with you on her blog here. Don't forget to leave her a lot of love too!

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Another good news very fast before I have to go take some pills. :)

Rach is holding a RAK at her blog where 3 (yes, three) lucky visitors who leave comments there will win ANY of her new product for free! The winners have between the Blushing Dolls kit, the cutest and very versatile So Simple Photomasks & Borders pack 1 and pack 2, and the Doodly Alpha (CU) to choose from. The givaway/RAK ends on Feb. 14 so hurry up and comment away!!!

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Okay, I really have to drink some painkillers now. Enjoy your freebie and I'll appreciate it a lot if you can leave a comment too. Oh! And do come back in a few days where there's a blog train coming pass this way with a little present for you once again. See ya!

Match up challenge & freebie too!

2010-02-09T12:39:00.003+07:00

A little personal note before we go into business. LOL!

It's been a year and a half now since I became vegetarian. It started as a kind of merit-making and giving-back-to-the-world project to celebrate my son's 5th birthday, and I thought at that time that I was going to try it for 2 weeks.

Well, a year and a half later I still haven't digested a piece of meat and I feel FABULOUS!! I'm not trying to convert anyone, I can't even say exactly what good being vegetarian does for my body. All I can say is that it feels so natural for me. I am totally satisfied and really never had any kinds of meat craving at all.

Isn't it great when you know that you are doing something right for yourself?

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We have come to the last day of Digital Scrap Cafe's Birthday week! I'm sure you had a lot of fun participating in our challenges and collecting Daily Download freebies so far. Need I remind you that there's a lot of big prizes to win at our party as well? But of course, you can just go back to my previous post for all those information, or better yet, just go to DSC forum to check it out!

I'm soooooo excited to be hosting the very last challenge of the party!!! Woohoo! I can't help bringing it here for you to see as well. But if you're interested, you really have to hurry. 'Coz since this is the last day of the Birthday Bash (Feb. 3 - 9), and you will have ONLY 24 HOURS to complete this!! Oooohh, scary huh?

Here is your challenge.

In short, find these DSC products, link me up, and win! Easy as that! The prizes? EVERYONE who gives ALL the links correctly will get $1 store GC to use after this week!!

Click on the challenge image above or here for more details! (And a whole lot of HINTS on how to win this challenge too! LOL)

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Speaking of challenges, I just want to show you a layout I made for one of those as well.

I made this layout using the I Love You a Latte kit with Val C. Designs's beautiful wordart that she gives away in this challenge thead. (Commercial break: Buying ILYAL kit and doing the challenges will get you entered for the prize raffles!) The month stamp is from Pressed Petals Designs' fabulous Initially Dated set which is on sale at 50% off until Feb. 15!

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Now the freebie!! Yay!

I told you in the previous post that my dear friend Lisa of Aprilisa Designs has started designing professionally with DSC. She is now working so hard creating cute stuff to fill her shop with digi goodies. I picked 2 of her wonderful products, Affection and Love Bites, then throw them around until I got this page, which I loooooooove very much. LOL.

Well, of course, good news for you. If you want this as a quickpage for your little darling too, you can have it. Just click here to download from 4shared or on the preview image below. And don't forget to leave me and Lisa some love too, will ya?

That's all for today, folks! If you need me, I'll be at DSC sitting tight and watching my challenge the whole 24 hours. (Who am I kidding?!?) LOL!

sales, prizes and freebies galore at DSC!

2010-02-03T23:02:00.006+07:00

Digital Scrap Cafe is turning one! Woohoo!!! And boy, what a party we're holding!!!

Put on your party hat right now and celebrate with us for 7 full days! From Feb. 3 to 9, you will find a whole lot of sales, prizes, and freebies waiting for you in DSC's blog, store and forum. Ready for them???

**SALES**

During Feb. 3 to Feb. 9, the whole DSC store is 50% off.

And once your purchase exceeds $10, you'd get this beautiful set of 12 quickpages plus 2 cluster frames from the celebratory kit 'I Love You a Latte', created by the DSC designers and CT members, worth $7.99, totally FREE!! (Care to guess which one is mine? There'll be a little reward for the first one who guesses it right, how's that? LOL!)

**PRIZES**

There are tons of prizes for you to win and also many ways you can participate to be eligible for those awesome prizes! Take a look at these...

Don't miss the daily fun&easy challenges during the week! I'll be hosting the very last one (on Feb. 9) so I'm kinda excited myself, because you would only have 24 hours to complete it. It won't be too difficult, I promise, especially for those of you who's a true fan of DSC and familiar with our designers' styles and products. Ooops..I must not give you too many hints, right? LOL!

Please go ahead and click on those images above to find out more about the raffles, the challenges, and the prizes. Or just click here to go to the DSC forum, you'll find our brand-new Birthday Bash section at the top!

** FREEBIES **

Apart from all the usual freebies that you can find *everywhere* in DSC, during the Birthday week there's also a Daily Download freebie for you to collect from our blog. By the end of the week you will get a full kit, 1 lowercase alpha, and 2 quickpages!

Loving this party now? :)

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Well, to help spice up this celebration a little more. I decided to make a little something that goes with all the DSC's "cafe" theme to share here as well. So I present you Pom's Breathing Room Latte Word Art set.

I think they are versatile enough to be used in many kinds of layouts, and can be modified to suit your scrapbooking needs easily. If you're interested, please click on the preview above or click here to go to 4shared to download. And leave me some love too, will ya? :)

I used one of those WAs (with a little modification) in a layout that I want to share here with you. This is quite a special page for us too.

(Please click on image for bigger view and to read the journaling)

The page was done on the 2nd of February, which is my stepson Michael's birthday. He's 28 years old now. Eventhough my son Neill (6 years old) is young enough to be Michael's son, they are still so close and love each other so much. Or as much as any two brothers can be. And I believe that the fact that they live so far apart only makes the bond stronger. :)

Credits:
Template by Scooty's Designs from DSC Template Challenge Jan.29 - Feb.4
Papers and some elements from Crea Zara's kit 365
Wordart and stamp from Pom's Breathing Room Latte wordart set

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Okay, I'm signing off now. Just gonna leave some links to remind you again. DSC's Birthday Bash ---> here. And Pressed Petals Designs retirement sale (also 50% off all products!) ---> here. If you like my freebies, you might want to leave some kind words just down here where it says Post a Comment. Easy huh? :)

Pom's Breathing Room

I wish you the joy of loving

It's my party and I'll fly if I want to...

Today I'm grateful for...

easy or busy, and some word art freebies :)

For the Record RAK from ValC.

Frames and a good sale, anyone?

Challenges, layouts, and a freebie

a template freebie and some other things

Party in the summer rain

Back with a bang - LO's, a GSO, and a freebie

So irritated by ImageShack

Layouts for Val C. Designs, and a freebie, of course!

A little something from me - a New Year's gift for you :)

Big Christmas Blogtrain from Val's Gals

All for Anita :)

Holiday shopping, anyone?

What can you do to help make others stronger?

I'll be in Doodelle's Studio, Studio...

Shhh.. I'm not here...

Boo! and freebie too! (2)

Boo! and freebie too! (1)

For Dunia: news, kits, and layouts!

What can you learn from little birds?

A Perfect Day to ...

Digital Scrap Cafe October 2010 Blog train is here!

Guess who made GSO again??

Looking for some *Creative Soul*-mates :)

A quick post for Anita's fans

I'm turning back the clock at DSC! :D

Going on The Trails with Camp Giggle

A Little Something from DSC Blog Train!

Perfect Combination - A Drift in Dreams - a QP

A Fresh Restart, a charity, and a free template

Me and my first ever mini kit!?!

Some good news and some goodies!

Creative Soul and Travelogue (and GSO again!)

A call, a dollar deal, a GSO, and a challenge freebie!

some gifts for Skool Daze!!

So, what is clean, elegant, and comes hidden a bag?

"He who eats alone chokes alone"

Free layered template, anyone?

Come ride the blog train to the beach!

Scrapping outside my comfort zone

Dear Darling and a little something for you!

Delightful Pieces of You in the Lazy Summer Days!

I've got some Love to share!

Father's Day, Friendship, and a Free Template!!

A Girl, a Great News, and a Gift!

Drowning

Sightseeing in Paris of the Middle East

Let's take a Trail to the Past and have some Outdoor Fun!

Bavardages and Say What?

A Gentleman's Game and a Boyish Blog Train!!

Embrace Life

Charity and Gallery Standout

The last time you did something for the first time..

Made a free template again!

a note for my country and a gift of Love!

I'm still alive, and come bearing gift :)

Bringing you Early Spring on the DSC Blog Train!

Something to lift, something to give

I love my new Canon 500D!!

Time for DSC Blog Train once again!

Two babies, one challenge, and one QP

Match up challenge & freebie too!

sales, prizes and freebies galore at DSC!

Looking for some Creative Soul-mates :)