Pearls from Mom

I am a "certified" Papa's girl. But I can't discount the pearls of wisdom I learned from my Mama. Most {if not all} of these "pearls" are kept in the core of my heart and like soft whispers, I hear them specially when I am at a crossroad of this journey caledl life!

For Mother's Day, I really want to make this piece of pearl as the focal point of my card for Mom. It is my way of expressing gratitude to my mother for the love and dedication she gave and still giving us through the years.



The fabulous colors of sea foam, brown, light green {gems} and terracotta are inspired by Embellish Color Challenge with Dimension. I created dimension on this card by using pop-up glue dots under the shell and sentiment. I was also inspired by this week's sketch from Get Sketchy which is just perfect for the shape of the shell.


"There is no velvet so soft as a mother's lap, no rose as lovely as her smile, no path as flowery as that imprinted with her footsteps." - A. Thompson

Thanks Mom!

Mei Ann

Let's Hang Out

What a super busy weekend! It's First Communion time for most of the kids here in our neck of the woods. We currently have 5 Catholic Schools under the care of our Parish and our choir was requested to sing in all of the Masses for the First Communicants! So my weekend was full of Glorias and Halleluiahs! Glad to be able to do that for the community! Still, I was able to squeezed in some time to finish a card in between choir practices and Church services {and laundry, and cooking, and some office works too} .



The color palette at Play Date Cafe is too good to pass so I took out a couple of new stamps from Inkadinkadoo and G Studio and voila ....



.... a fun card for my hubby who was also busy this weekend running for Kids with Cancer.

It's a date dear. We will hang out together next weekend!

Cheers,

Mei Ann

EBTKS Challenge 14: Envelope

I've been following the lovely creations of the ladies from Everything But The Kitchen Sink for some time now and never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that one day I'd be playing along with them as their Guest Designer! You can just imagine my excitement when I got the invitation! Thanks ladies!

The challenge this time around is to use "envelope" in the project. Here's my take ....


I found this old envelope from one of the letters my sister sent me in 2002. I applied light distress inks in Peeled Paint and Broken China to cover some blemishes on the old paper. Then I stamped the flower using one of my Hero Arts rubber stamps and sprayed the entire envelope with perfect pearl mist.



Adding to the authenticity of the envelope are original Philippines' postage stamps dated 2002. On the spot where my name and address where written, I placed a small post-it on which I stamped the "Just a Note" sentiment. When all is done I glued the back of this envelope on a white cardstock to make a card. Viola! It is now ready to be mailed again!

In my excitement the mojo just keep on flowing so I was able to whip up another card ....


Here's an Aussie-inspired gift card holder with the sand dune background and cowboy's hat and boots stickers from my stash.



Just perfect for an Outback Steakhouse gift card!

Thanks to the talented ladies at EBTKS for another unique inspiration . Head over there and see the other creations and better yet .... play along with us!

Cheers,

Mei Ann

So Thankful

I found this dragonfly brooch when I was surfing the net one day and just fell in love with its vibrant summer colors.



With this beautiful Swarovski number in mind, I took our my Inkadinkadoo Gem Stone Insects collection and heat embossed the dragonfly with white embossing powder. Using Distress Inks in Broken China and Peeled Paint, i blended the two colors and sprayed the card with Perfect Pearl {you can't see it in this picture but the card shimmers when moved on different angles}. I added pearl gems to embellish the dragonflies.



There! Just a perfect card to be reminded of so many things to be thankful for .....

Happy Monday!

Mei Ann

14 Years After .... Still a Fairy Tale

It started as a teenage wish of marrying a prince :-). God knew better and gave me a simple but a kindhearted man instead.



We don't have a castle but we have a HOME. We don't have little prince nor little princess but we have EACH OTHER. We don't have treasures but we have GOD in our midst. We don't a kingdom but we have LOVE greater than our hearts!




14 years after, it's still a fairy tale of wedded bliss!

Thank you my "prince" for 14 wonderful years.

{Pattered Paper from Kiki Art}

You complete me in ways I didn't even know existed.



... and we live happily ever after!

I heart you,
Mei Ann

We're The Perfect Blend

My dear hubby and I are celebrating our 14th wedding anniversary tomorrow {big grin}! I've been busy making cards {yes, lots} for him {because he's complaining about the fact that I make cards mostly for other people but will only make card for him at the last minute} . This time I'll make sure he'll get what he deserves!

One of the cards is inspired by Moxie Fab World's Get Sketchy Challenge and EBTKS Challenge 13.


I adore this sentiment to the max! We are indeed a perfect blend in so many ways! We are peanut butter and jelly, french fries and catchup, pancake and maple syrup and most of all coffee and doughnut!!!!



I used Graphic 45 {Miss Manners} for my base card, the lovely sentiment is from Fiskars' Latte Love collection, the coffee mug and doughnut die cuts are from dollar store. To make the table top, I used EK punch and twisted a colored wire for the stand.

I had a smile on my lips while making this card .... it's for my other half, my perfect blend!

Mei Ann

Wishing you ....

... lots of happiness, more gorgeous shoes and to die for bags on your birthday!



I'm blessed with 2 wonderful sisters-in law {hubby's sisters} who I love dearly like my one and only sister Jane. One of them loves shoes and bags and she has tons {as in tons} of them :-)! She's celebrating her birthday next week so I wish her more shoes, bags but most of all, endless happiness!



For her bday card, I used this gorgeous patterned paper from Kiki Art Antologia Jardin collection I got from Scrapfest yesterday. If you haven't had the chance to use Kiki Art pp, check out their awesome and colorful designs. You would love them! All embellishments are from my stash bought from dollar stores ages ago. To make her wishes come true, I stamped a fairy from G studio little princess collection. The sketch is inspired by Taylored Expressions sketch 109.

Happy birthday Manang! May all your wishes come true!

Mei Ann

Let's Party!

Last month, our good friends Tracey and her husband Dave invited me and my hubby for Friday dinner at their home. We had fabulous Mexican cuisine. Next week, another good friends, Percy and his wife Kookie are inviting us for an authentic Indian cuisine at their home. We truly enjoy intimate dinners like these ... good food and wine + wonderful friends = pure bliss.

For our turn, hubby and I decided to invite both couples at home and we will prepare a fusion of Japanese and Korean dishes. As early as now, I am working on the invite and place cards for this occasion.

Very timely, Embellish magazine's current challenge is to create a party-themed projects. How perfect timing is that?

Keeping the Japanese/Korean theme in mind and the color scheme from the challenge, I got some chopsticks from the kitchen, took out my Hero Arts Japanese dolls collection, and my favorite red chiyogami paper. After an hour in my craft studio, here's my dinner invite ...


For place cards, I plan to use inverted Japanese tea cups with our guests' names on every cup and assemble the chopsticks and a stamped Japanese dolls on top like this ....


Soooo lovely! I'm sure our friends would love this treat together with my hubby's special Korean beef BBQ with kimchi, miso soup, sushi, ebi tempura and mochi balls with green tea ice cream for dessert!


Can't wait to party!

Domo arigato,

Mei Ann

Easy Breezy and Classy

When time is not on my side and I need to make cards for regular clients, I always turn to Webster's Pages patterned papers for a quick but elegant solution. Most of their designs can be used as focal points and do not require heavy embellishments to be beautiful like this one....



I just added a sheer ribbon to add femininity, a simple red button to complement the rich red color and some floating butterflies ....voila!

Have fun today,

Mei Ann

Blushing

I almost fell from my chair when I saw my card as the winner for the "string challenge" at Everything but the Kitchen Sink! Thank you soooo much ladies. You really made me happy and honored!

I love my Kitchen Sink even more {insert double happy faces here}!






Blushing,

Mei Ann

It Took Me So Long ....

.... to find a copy of Go To Sketches Magazine until my dear hubby found the last copy at Michaels! There on page 94 is fun and funky Kim Kesti's sketch #28! After devouring the magazine from cover to cover, it didn't take me long to finish this card.



I got this little turtle from a local dollar store {6 pieces for 1 buck}, isn't he/she cute? For patterned papers, I used Heidi Grace design { Row of Icons}, American Crafts {How's it going?} and aqua velum paper for sea effect. Sun and sand embellishments are from Michaels.



I really had fun working on this design. Thanks Moxie Fab World! You really know how to boost the mojos in us.

Waiting for summer,

Mei Ann

REPURPOSED

I bought this cute pin cushion {I named her LBD as in Little Black Dress} about 2 years go when my hubby got me a sewing machine for Christmas. Since I don't spend much time sewing {this must change because I need new curtains for summer!}, my LBD ended up as knick-knack on top of my stamping area. Until recently ....



.... I started pinning LBD with reminders of card orders, challenges deadlines and sketches that I find interesting.



From just a knick-knack to something useful! Next week, I'll dress her with fuchsia post it ... she'll love that color!

Happy Sunday,

Mei Ann

Strings Attached

When I read the "String" challenge from Everything but the Kitchen Sink blog, I said I won't let this challenge pass me by. I don't think I've used a piece of string in any of my card so this would be fun. But as days go by, I can't think of a unique design that I like where I can highlight the string until early this morning when I was drinking my .... TEA!



For my background, I used We R Memory Keepers Vintage Blue Just Dandy collection (my current favorite pp} and "You're tea-riffic" sentiment from Fiskars' Latte Love collection.



This is one card that will definitely go to my collection. I really enjoy looking at it in the same way I'm enjoying my night tea!

Thanks for visiting,

Mei Ann

I Need to .... Relax

It's one of those days {I should say week} when I feel like I'm on a roller coaster ..... up, down, slow then very fast ..... moving but not really going anywhere! In moments like these, this is what I need to do....

.... soak and relax in mint and rosemary scented bubble bath ! But before I do that, I thought I'd share this card I did for my friend Tara's birthday.

Inspired by Stamping 411 SSC 145 sketch, I used patterned papers from Paper Pizzaz and inked one of my favorite stamps from my stash ... Who's That Girl - Time for the Bubbly Collection and I stamped the chandelier from Prima for added glamor.


I hope you will find time to relax and really enjoy the day. I plan to do that myself!

Mei Ann

Jesus Christ is Risen Today ...

.... Alleluiah! I've been singing this song since our choir practice at 10 AM today then sang my heart out during the Easter Mass at 12 Noon and still singing the same song until now. It's one of those songs that really makes me happy.

Happy Easter everyone!

I was busy last night making Easter cards {both religious and contemporary designs} and this one happens to be my favorite so I gave it to my hubby.



This is inspired by CPS and Act 24 Curtain Call Color Challenge.



I stamped the tree on the background using Inkadinkado Topiary collection. I waited a couple of minutes for the ink to dry completely then stamped and heat embossed the sentiment {from G stdio} over the background. For a little shine, I dusted some Ranger powder pearls on the tree and sentiment. You can't see the effect on the picture above but when the card is placed against direct light, the effect is awesome!


P.S.

Pope John Paul ll once said .... "We are the children of Easter and our song is Halleluiah!" I never doubted that for a second even at time when I am not the child He wants me to be.

Hubby and I after singing at Easter mass

From our household to yours .... A blessed and meaningful Easter.

Lace and Red Wine

This week's Caardvarks challenge is all about lace. I saw this post a while back and put it on my "must to do" list simply because I love lace. My love affair with lace goes as far as liking Judge Judy's black dress with white lace trimmings she wears on her show !!!

For the Lacy Days challenge, I made this card using Prima black lace to embellish the belt and added the lace on the skirt to create a billowing effect on the dress. I'd say this card is very versatile ... it can be a birthday card {specially for somebody who loves to dance}, a bridal shower card or even to congratulate a girlfriend who lost some weight!

Before I end this post, I have to add where I got my inspiration for the card. I was sipping a glass of red wine while sitting on my craft studio thinking how to put together the dress template, the black or white lace and the red felt. While deep in thoughts, this is what I'm looking at ...

Truly, inspirations are everywhere and anything! We just need to be more sensitive and learn how to communicate to our artistic side. Do you agree?

Ciao,

Mei Ann

He Cared This Much ....

" In manus tuas, Domine, commendo spiritum meum."