Yoiks, I lost my files!

Have you ever lost important files on the computer that you couldn't completely retrieve anymore? Well, earlier just this year, my external hard disk conked out. It is where all of my digiscrapping kits and masterpieces and most importantly most of the birth photos of Asher were saved. Luckily, I have uploaded my digiscrapping masterpieces on to an online gallery. I learned my lesson the hard way. Since then, we've backed up our files through burning them to DVDs.

Shopping Addiction.

If you are a digiscrapper like me, probably you also got hooked and crazed about the sales and promos in the recent {inter}National Digital Scrapbooking Day held last weekend. Man, it was a blast! I won't deny..I splurged "a bit".

NSD Purchases May 2008 by maileen1

I couldn't resist all the enablers and tempting previews from each digiscrapping forum that I got addicted shopping and stuffing carts with goodies. Now my paypal is holed and needs to be replenished asap. The husband might raise an eyebrow on me with this shopping addiction. Is there a sort of a drug rehab for this? Tell me..I'm sure the husband will be delighted.

ISO: Photoshop Actions.

I've been digishop-hopping lately as I hunt for cool BUT reasonably-priced Photoshop actions. As you've probably noticed (check out now if you still haven't), I am into "photo-overloading" my main blog. Well, it's not that I intend to make it a photoblog or aiming to slow down your bandwith, but I'm just so enamored lately with my Flickr PRO (yep, I'm now flickring with a pro account). Then I also just recently joined the photohunt craze and prolly, it's just about time to maximize my S3 IS toy (features of which I still haven't fully mastered). Let's just say that I'm quite serious into photography lately..have plans of taking up basic lessons but I'm pretty contented with my self-help learning technique at the moment. Don't have the luxury of time to take up formal lessons yet.

As I've mentioned, I'm in the lookout for nice actions to use on my photos. Having online coupons to digital scrapping shops would also be a nice option..but the question is, where can I possibly get hold of them.

By the way, we already have Baby A's 4D video. Please check it out here.

Merry Christmas!!!!

Credits:
12 Days of Christmas - Cards by Raechel Knight

Stop Me!

“Stop me…stop me!
….Ay tigilan mo ako..tigilan mo ako. Jun-jun, I told you not to go to but you go to.....”
Oh well..just mimicking the hilarious maid in the recent PLDT commercial ad (on their wireless landline phone). But totoo…stop me! Waaah! I’ve been shopping for digistuffs lately (and even madly downloading freebies that I get hold of) but the problem is, I haven’t even opened my Photoshop lately. I have several projects in mind…but where the heck is my mojo nga ba?!? Hmmm..eto na talaga..I’m off to open my Photoshop!

Purchased Stuffs (Digiscrap) by maileen1

By the way, my shopping madness holed up $21.06 on my Paypal credits already. Kaya…stop me talaga! (tigilan mo ako…) Lolz. Buti na lang..mababa ang conversion ng $$$ ngayon!

25 Weeks and the Big Announcement.

Baby A, another week has passed again and yes, we’re on Week 25. We’ve been resting at home for a week since our trip to the hospital and will continue to do so for the rest of the week. We’ll be seeing the doctor on Thursday for a follow up check up and hopefully, we’ll be given the go signal to resume work on Monday. Mom’s boss is already texting me when will I be back. Perhaps, he’s already troubled with all the pending tasks I left. I just hope it’s not that bad when I get back. I can’t afford or should I say I wouldn’t allow to get myself stressed with anything.

Mom’s overly bored. But I’m still lucky though since I get to nap, eat and be online anytime – do paid blogging opps, blog hop and of course, I get to update this blog more frequently. Mom’s also getting some digiscrap mojos back, I think. I shopped some digiscrap goodies during the Black Friday sale and hopefully, this will drive me to get my creative juices back again. I really hope to scrap again some time soon.

Lately, mom’s feeling some irregular contractions on my tummy but they’re all painless naman. Perhaps, these are the so called Braxton Hicks. I asked the doctor about this and advised that as long as they do not appear more than five times a day and the interval is not five minutes apart, it’s nothing to worry about. I am still a little worried though – any discomfort that I’m feeling since our traumatic ordeal, I get so nervous na. But then, it’ll get uncomfortable naman talaga as weeks pass since you’re getting bigger and heavier. In fact, my tummy is getting stretched to its limit (and yes baby, stretch marks have started to appear on my tummy) already. But it’s okay…I know it’s all part of it.

Recently, mom held a game in this blog for fun. I asked them to guess your gender and about 90% of them are assuming you’re a boy. And they are correct! We are having a:

Probably, they were given hints on how I relayed through my story that you’re so malikot! Anyway, I asked Dad this morning to give me 2 random numbers from 1 – 13 for the drawing of the winners. He initially gave me 3 and 10 but I asked him to pick another number since the 10th commenter posted anonymously (my apologies..whoever you are).

**So to commenters # 3 – DIANE and # 12 ALPHA – please let me know the paypal email addresses that I’ll be sending your $5 prize to. And since I’m in the mood of giving more, I’ll also be sending $5 to JACQ’s paypal email as a special prize. Reason: hmm basta, will disclose it later.**

Baby A…as we always say, just continue to grow and thrive inside me….we’ll see you in 15 weeks, my dear son. We love you!

Xoxo,
Mom

How Baby A’s growing according to mybabycenter.com:
Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. His weight — a pound and a half — isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but he's beginning to exchange his long, lean look for some baby fat. As he does, his wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and he'll start to look more and more like a newborn. His hair is probably recognizable now (in color and texture), although both may change after he's born.

Computer Training.

Due to my lazy hormones recently, it’s been a while since I last opened my Photoshop CS2 software and scrapped my digital stuffs. The little artistry in me might have dwindled already; not even sure if I can still recall the techniques I learned in the training that I attended a couple of years ago. Since the holidays is just around the corner plus, the “Little One” is coming which means there are a lot of photos to scrap, I would love to further my know-how on Photoshop’s advanced features. I like to enhance my digital creations thus; I am really interested to undergo a computer training. But since I am a “corporate slave” having a limited time or should I say, no time at all to attend a classroom-setup course, I’m looking for a tutorial which is computer-based so I can set my learning at my own pace and time. I found several helpful links on computer courses at computerbasedtrainings.net. I’ll browse over each site one of these days so I can decipher which is suited and is most helpful for me. I might also check out the other links such as the Leadership training and e-Learning modules. I’m sure they’re also interesting topics to learn about.

DSD Today.

If you are a digiscrapper, I bet you’ve started storming your favorite digiscrapping sites taking part of the sales, chats, challenges, contests and freebies. Why not, there are lots of fun stuffs going on today as the digiscrapping community is celebrating today the premier Digital Scrapbooking Day. Well, I’m controlling myself not to look around my favorite shops that much as I don’t want to be tempted to buy any goodies yet. Probably I’ll just start resuming my digishopping when my own Paypal account gets credited by next month. Nevertheless, I’m still taking part of the DSD…actually, I’m just taking a break from the Scavenger Hunt at Sweet Shoppe Designs. Given with visual clues, we’re supposed to hunt them down in the shop with its correct kit name and designer. There are 30 goodies to find and I’m still lacking 5. Arrrgh! I’m getting cross-eyed already but I have to get going. A sweet reward will be drawn from all correct submissions. Wish me luck!

Happy Dad's Day!

A shoutout to all Dads, Papas, Fathers, Itays, Tatays, Grandfathers, Godfathers, Babas, Padres, Paters, Romos, Atyas, Otecs out there..

Happy Father's Day!

So here it is…my layout tribute to my beloved Dad.

Pa, even though you’re so far away, I want you to know that you are remembered and deeply appreciated for all the things you’ve done for us. Love u so much!

Also, to my dad-in-law, happy father's day!

Credits:
Thankful Paper by ComputerScrapbook.com and Jeanine Baechtold
And I Quote..Father by Manda Bean
Grudgy Frames by Nancy Comelab
Cardboard Tear by LindaGB
Tag by Tracy Robinson
Tag by Traci Sims
Painstroke by LindaGB
Cardboard by Teresa Ferguson
Hearts by Jan Crowley
Note Paper & Staple by Ksharonk
Flower & Stitch by Christy Lyle
Button by kim Liddiard

Clickin'.

Here’s what I was supposed to blog since Tuesday.


Yes, you saw it right. I treated myself and finally purchased my own semi-dslr camera (thanks to PPP) that I have been wishing and planning to buy since December. It’s a Canon Powershot S3 IS digital camera. I bought it during the Anson’s Installment Craze in Glorietta that ran for the whole month of May. Lucky me, I also got a camera bag as well as a 512 MB Memory Card as freebies. I am still tinkering and getting myself familiarized with the overwhelming but nevertheless, exciting features. So far, I can now successfully execute a shot with the Super Macro Mode feature.


I can’t wait to learn all other features. Hubby’s also excited with this new toy but he’s so tamad to read the manual and learn the features by himself. According to him, he’ll just wait for me to master them then he’ll rely on me. Haha!

Since only Alkaline Batteries are supplied with the cam package, I’ll probably buy a battery / charger kit next time for a long lasting power and of course, more shots.

On another note, here are the other pampering treats I had this week (aside from the camera). Finally, the digiscrap mags I pre-ordered at bookoto.com finally arrived. So many inspiring layouts! I just hope I find time soon to digiscrap again.

Lastly, here’s Puss in Boots:

I am not sure if I will still be able to complete the collection. Last time we inquired, Mcdo at People Support doesn’t have Shrek Happy Meal Toys anymore but offer Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles instead. Darn! I missed Shrek, Gingy and Pinnochio? (Is it really Pinnochio or Artie?) Does anyone know until when they’d suppose to offer Shrek Happy Meal Toys?

On Digiscrapping.

You might have noticed that I seldom post here my digiscrap layouts, well for one, I’ve uploaded them in my digiscrap dedicated blog at The Scrapaholic Me (c’mon, check it out and please link it up, too). Two, I have lay-low a bit with my scrapping pursuit because of my heavy workload in the office. I rarely scoured my fave digiscrap sites and download freebies. Three, although I can consider this as an achievement, I haven’t shopped goodies for like weeks already woohoo!

For the past month, I think I scrapped about 7 layouts only and they were the Dedication invites of Jacque’s daughter. Then three of them were used as a template for another set of christening invites, this time for the niece of my sister’s boyfriend. If not for the TOUs of the kits I use, I could have also earned with this digiscrapped invites. Well, I honor the designers’ TOUs and they matter to me that’s why I just create them for free. Their feedbacks on how their guests love the invites are enough to overwhelm me.  And I'm okay with that already.

This weekend, amidst blogging dollar opps, I also have to create layouts for the Bulletin Board in our Office Huddle Room. Our group is tasked this quarter to design and create it, otherwise if not done, we'll be penalized requiring us to treat the whole team.  Yikes!

26 Things I Love About You.

Here's the layout I did for my dear hubby as he just celebrated his 26th birthday:

  
1. your jolly personality
2. your admirable wisdom
3. you have a positive outlook of life
4. you are driven to achieve your goals
5. you are my uplifter when I am discouraged
6. you give the most relaxing massage when I get home tired from work
7. you are a very good provider
8. you are supportive of me all the time
9. you have nothing but praises on my digiscrap layouts
10. you have the sexiest bulging tummy
11. you are a good dancer
12. you take care of me well when I am sick
13. you have a contagious laugh
14. you are a very good listener
15. you always pray with me at night
16. you always make me feel safe
17. you put up with all my moodiness and crankiness
18. you give awesome hugs and kisses
19. you make me weak in the knees
20. you play on the desktop or watch TV so I can scrap and blog in our laptop
21. you make a very good technical support when our computer bogs down
22. you give sensible advices
23. you have the sunniest smile
24. you accept me as I am despite my shortcomings
25. you are always there for me especially when times are tough
26. you love me unconditionally

Credits:
Alpha and Gettingedgy Elements by Lauren Grier
Blue Prints Paper by Katie the Scrapbooklady
Vintage Frame by Nancy Comelab
Doodlebutterfly by SSD Designs
Ribbon by Tracy Collins
Tear by Linda Billdal
Amore Heart by Shabby Princess
Love Elements by Vera Lim
Bejeweled Brad by Ashley Olson
Stringtie by Ashley Olson
Ribbon Border by Amy Cheeseman

NSD Mania.

National Scrapbook Day (NSD) is just around the corner. Right now, I am holding off myself from purchasing any digiscrapping products that interest me since I know; I can have them on this special day at very huge and irresistible discounts.

In preparation for this shopping spree of mine, I’ve been busy site-hopping, scouring cute goodies and stashing them onto my shopping cart. I’m just getting ready so that when weekend comes and NSD officially starts, I can simply and readily checkout without wasting too much time.

Goodies Alert.

I wandered and checked over some of my fave digiscrapping sites and I'd just like to share the goodies I found.  Don't forget to respect their TOUs and leave them some love if you snag them.

Check out SSD's Shawna Clingerman's quickpage freebie and discount coupon here.

Misty Cato's free About A Boy Sampler here.

Amy Bleser's It's a Spring Thing Flowers here.

Lindsay Jane's Star Threads here.

Scroll down Fafbr's blog and you will find these cute flower doodles.

Simone's Invites.

I was probably sprinkled with some creative juices today; that’s why I’m back with some finished digiscrapping layouts. Yay! I’m not yet through organizing my kits but I need to have some done today so I can already seek Jacque’s approval on the design prior printing. She asked me to do some LOs for the invites of her daughter’s Dedication this month end.

Simone is such a charming princess. I enjoyed scrapping her photos and designing her invites. For her security (and to prevent gatecrashers lol!), I intentionally covered up some of her dedication details.

Credits:
Easter Sweets Paper by Lisa Whitney
Boho Chic Stitch by Michelle COleman
Cardboard Paper by Katie the Scrapbooklady
Loving Spring Add-on by Jan Hosford
Antiquated Swirls by Michelle Coleman
Folded Ribbon by Faith True
Fonts: Eras Demi, English


Credits:
Neopolitan Summer Paper - Amber Clegg
Homecoming paper - Sandra Boddington
Ribbon - Ksharonk
Bent photo template - Nancy Comelab
Ribbon - Manda Bean & Eve Recinella
Lil Something Photo Corner - Bren Boone
Posh Petals Tab - Eve Recinella
Flower - Jamie Rouselle
Swirls - Rhonna Farrer

Credits:
Sassafrass Paper - Bren Boone
Flower - Carrie Stephens
Neutral Reds Paper - Katie the Scrapbooklady
Flowers - Robin Carlton


Credits:
One Pink Paper - Angela Barton
Sassafrass Papers -Bren Boone
Flowers by Anna

Sweet Shoppe Blog 2 Mine.

For this week, the Blog prompt from Sweet Shoppe is this "hot and spicy" online quiz. I get some Sweet Rewards Points just for playing along with this prompt which I can exchange for discount deals from the shop towards the month end.

Your Spicy Score: Mild

You may not make the hottest first impression.. But you're definitely the type of girl that sticks in a guy's mind. You prefer to play things cool. You know that good things come to those who wait. And the amazing thing about you is that you get hotter over time!

How Spicy Are You?

So there..I'm off to SSD. I have to check out the other challenges so I can earn more Sweet Rewards. There's this gorgeous kit sitting on my shopping cart for weeks already..just waiting for a nice discount coupon to be used upon.

Digi-shopping.

Lookie here what I stuffed my shopping cart with at SSD:




Thanks to Yen for the $10 SSD Gift Certificate that I won by just leaving a message on her blog. She had this random drawing on her blog last week to celebrate her being the Treat of the Month at SSD (yebah! Go bebots!). Luckily, SSD has released just this noon their Mystery Easter Basket and a few other things that are on 20% sale and probably, I’m one of those early shoppers. I was astounded when I saw all the contents of the Easter Basket and it’s definitely a good deal at $4 only. If they are to be bought individually, perhaps, it’ll total to more or less $30.

On another note, I’m almost through organizing and categorizing my digi stuffs. I am targeting to finish it by tomorrow so I still have Monday to start digiscrapping again. I already have lots of photos readied and lined up to be scrapped. I just need to be fueled up a bit to get me started.

Digi-Easter Egg Hunt

I’m still up pretty late tonight as I’m hooked with an Easter Egg Hunting Contest at A Cherry On Top. I invite my fellow digiscrappers to try this out and earn ACOT points for every egg found. The top rabbit of the weekend will get an incredible prize package so go and join the fun.

Scrappa News.

Hmm.. I think the old-digiscrapaholic-me totally rested like for ages already. While it’s true that I did a couple last weekend just to showcase our teambuilding pictures, I don’t think my mojos are totally back. Well for one, I can’t really scrap with incomplete and unorganized kits since STILL, I’m not yet finished categorizing all 15GB digiscrapping stuffs and goodies with ACDSEE into this laptop. And why am still not finished? Hmm let’s just say, aside from work, a lot of moolah opportunities are taking much of my time lately. Why not, if these earnings will also be used to satisfy my digiscrapping “needs” in the future.

At any rate and albeit my mojos are still somewhere, I’m very proud to say that I managed to get away from all those tempting goodies and sales recently. I intended not to scour stores lately to avoid purchases but there will always be exceptions, right? Thus, this one ended up in my shopping cart and ultimately, in my external hard disk:


This is one of the latest releases from Scrapbookbytes.com for this week.  I just totally love these cutie charms.

Mount Sea.

As promised, here are the pictures of our summer outing and teambuilding activity last March 22-23, 2007 at Mount Sea Resorts in Tanza, Cavite.  Looking at the pictures alone, you'll already know how fun it was with all the activities that we did: formal business discussion, games such as obstacle course & group sack race, basketball, trampoline, all-night videoke galore, non-stop chit chats, swimming, camwhoring and of course, eating! Actually, those are the 2 weaknesses of our group...food and camera. :)





Credits:
Visual Stories Floating Frames & Squared by Katie the Scrapbooklady
Mix N Match Basics Papers (Blues) by Katie the Scrapbooklady
Digital Dates by Meryl Bartho
Flower by Carrie Stephens
Flower vine by Christy Lyle
VHF Arrows by VickieHF