Take it Slow

Some people can really put pressure on us when we let them. Before my son turned two this year, he can only say the word "car" which bothered people around us. Yes, he'd keep on blabbing, but that's about it.

I have always kept calm about this situation, boys speak more later than girls someone told me and I believed that. Because I also took care of my younger cousins who are mostly girls and they really picked up words fast.

Another cousin, who has a son with the same age as mine shares the same sentiment. We always update each other, "has your son started talking already?" And of course there are signs of developmental health we have to watch out for as parents. Does your child look straight in your eyes when you call him? And all these other things that are put in your plate you have to think of while raising a child.

When you go online on social media, you see children of friends who are really fast speakers and they are so cute, and somehow wish your child would start talking also.

When my son turned two last October, my fears have been alleyed when one day I just woke up and my son has started to count, sing the alphabet and old mcdonald had a farm. Really, children develop at their own phase and we cannot rush them to be like the rest. There is no better teacher than having a child, where you  have to have the patience to re-learn the most basic things in life. Most days, you will hear me an my husband singing all these nursery rhymes together with our son. I find myself humming these rhymes also on my way to work, it is my LSS. To be honest, I love learning these things again with my son.

And everyday and everynight, as I wake up and before I go to sleep, I thank the universe for the strength and patience that I have. 

Happy 2nd birthday, Leon!

I have conquered my fear of heat and fire and can now whip up a dish or two. I am probably living my childhood dream, I sleep in a bed filled with stickers and toy blocks and little cars. I buy a toy everytime I go to a toy store and have a reason to buy those kinder eggs that I see on tv. I blow bubbles almost everyday and has discovered the joy of swim balls and slides. I have welcomed in my life Mickey Mouse and the Sesame Street gang again. The song that keeps running in my head is The Wheels on the Bus, this is our jam. My arms hurt most of the time, but my spirits are always on high. I am excited to explore and discover things with you. I love that I can see things with your eyes, as if I also see things again for the first time. I feel stronger and so much happier. And everyday I thank the universe for sending you to me and your tatay. I love you, Leon. Go and see the world, anak. 

Mini Scrapbooks

I am guilty of over spending this year on craft supplies. It was like Pandora's box when I discovered Project Life, May of this year and it has rekindled my love for papers, stickers and other things. 

But being a mother now means my priorities have also changed, and to save up on my excess spending, I have decided to make DIY Christmas gifts. I want to make a mini scrapbook set for my closest friends and here's a tutorial that you might me able to use also 😊

I used a 12x12 scrapbook paper stock.

Then I cut it into 3 strips, with the size of 4x12 inches.

Then I used a peg board to put a folding mark on the sheets.

It looks like this when you fold the sheets. Just arrange the pages in alternate to give the inside page a variation.

Then you staple the sheets. I got this long stapler from National Bookstore long before because I had a dream of creating my own zine.

Just embellish the front and you can also personalize with stickers and ephemeras.

Here are samples of my other creations :)

DIY journal card

I have been browsing through pinterest for weeks now, trying to get inspirations as I wait for my page protectors to arrive. 

I saw a pinwheel layout for a full page scrapbook page online and have been thinking how to interpret this for Project Life. 

I cut out a plain white card board paper and printed a circle with pie divisions.

Then I just the lines and tried to just trace them with pencil on the paper. 

I just used a regular cutter to cut the pies in the circle. And chose scrap papers to fit each pie.

I was also trying fo figure out the perfect layout for the words that I want to use for this layout. Until I decided to just position the words clockwise. 

And here it is a personalized journal card for my little monster :)

Project Life: Full Page Layouts

Journaling cards are pretty expensive, that's why when I found 12x12 sheets sold per piece at Bee Happy Crafts I had to make projects using them. 

There are generic patterns that you can mix up with other papers, but there are also some that really has the full page design that you have to work with.

I am sharing a project I worked on today using a doily as an embelishment.

This is my 12x12 paper stock that I had already cut up before I decided to do this post ;)

Hello doily! 

Also prepared my choice of embelishments. Stickers are my most favorite because the chipboard embelishments are also pricey.

I am also using some stuff from this kit. My first ever scrapbook kit set that I only bought because it was on sale.

My layout. This was from Holiday 2013.

Make sure that the back of the photo is secured from all sides because the layout will cut up the photo.

What the page looks like at the back.

And this is how it will look like in your project life pocket age 😊

Animal Prints

From my Nippori explorations

Project Life

I discovered Project Life this May, hen we were organizing a craft fair for the mall where I work. I just googled the word "PL" and it was love at first sight. Since the kits are not available in malls I mustered enough courage to message one of my PL inspirations, ocdscrapper in instagram. She kindly told me where to get the materials locally. 

My search for the materials is on, and because I am a nanay, my budget didn't permit me to splurge on buying these new scrapbook materials. The albums and page protectors aren't cheap, and let's not even start with the journal cards. So I started small, I didn't buy the album yet which was already more than one thousand pesos. I just bought the page protectors, bought some paper at National bookstore and the single paper cards at Bee Happy Crafts and I started working. 

I was already making pages for my son's album (about 6 already) when the opportunity came for me and to buy online bacause we had a friend who was coming home from the States. Now, I already have my album (the cheapest one I can buy online) which holds all my creations and my son's photos. I have been hooked because working on the pages also takes me back to happy moments with my family and friends.

My first PL kit. Bought the wrong journal cards, the theme was zoo and have not used it yet. I have to print our visit to the zoo photos soon! 

My first DIY journal card which I placed at the beginning of my set.

My Bee Happy Craft haul. Cutting these was a challenge but it was fun. And such pretty papers.

Another DIY journal card for my mag ama.

Sharing some of my pages :)

I will shar ewith you useful links on my next post. Follow me on instagram: @nanaydiy

Like me on facebook: http://facebook.com/nanaydiy :)

Hey, Universe!

I know that you are listening to my heart's desires.

Rain boots

The other day, around 5:30pm it was raining cats and dogs in Ortigas. The vicinity was zero visibility, which also meant that getting a ride home is close to zero. 

Exactly 7:00pm I wore my rain boots and have decided to trek the stretch of Shaw Blvd. I walked 2 blocks from EDSA going to Pasig area to try to get a ride, but there were no jeepneys and the traffic was not moving. I almost felt like crying, desperate to get a ride home. The rain did dampen my spirit but I cannot wait forever so I braced myself to walking my way home. 

I walked three blocks going to Quiapo, which included crossing EDSa. There was a thick group of people also waiting for a ride home. I waited a while to catch my breath and like a miracle from the sky (way), a van going to Quiapo stopped close to where I was standing. Unfortunately though, there was only obe available seat and the people automatically pushed their way to the van. The scene is very similar to that of Wprld War Z, where the zombies where trying to escape. 

I took a deep breath and started walking again. Took a quick glance back for any glimpse of hope and alas, another miracle from the sky, but this time there was only one person who was riding the van. I just wanted to get home like the rest of them, but maybe my will is just stronger. When the van stopped, it was chaos. I felt bad that the men didn't give way to the women, but it was really survival and I just pushed myself to get inside. I was successful in getting a seat, the thing though is that instead of just two peole getting a place at the back of the van, there was three of us. Apparently. The two girls (who I'd like to name Ana and Elsa) whom I was sharing the seat with are lovers and I was sitting in between them. When everyone was settled one of the girls quietly asked me if I can trade seats and obliged. The two girls were both giggling from the experience and I just kept silent, thanking my stars that I was on my way home.

The whole crazy incident inspired me to create illustrate representations of the happenings that day. Hopefully I will find time to do this everyday.

Dreaming of Michael’s

One of a crafters ultimate dream is to be in a craft wasteland. And for me other than Tokyu Hands in Japan which is 7 floors of pure heaven (well at least for me), another dream is Michael’s in the USA. I’ve been bugging my friend R to visit and share with me some photos but he wouldn’t budge. Thank God, I have my other friend V who obliged my request. 

He sent me a few photos with which he told me that he was reprimanded because it was not allowed to take photos. But it just feels so awesome to see their racks and hallways filled with lots of scrapbooking stuff.