Happy Monday...

I don't usually like Mondays... but I guess it is just because weekends are so cool, aren't they?

Today I am sharing another layout of those I am making to document some things that I have learned or reinforced in the past months... or maybe just things that have happened after Hurricane Maria.

In this occasion I am sharing a photo of me when I was hanging some clothes that I had to wash by hand... Not that it is an impossible thing... I am kind of hands on when I have to be...  But we are very used to washing machines and all mechanical aids... that a simple thing as washing some clothes can be tough, right?

So I just wanted to document this too.  I used a blue cardstock as base for my page and used this wonderful design paper from American Crafts, that goes perfectly with my theme.  I framed the photo with several patterns and also stamped some clouds from Latina Crafter.

I chose this title "I got this"... because this is what was through my mind when I was washing the clothes.  I swear I was like trying to forget about the hot weather and the "tough task" and I was convincing myself that I could do this...LOL...  and I did.

Hope you like my page.  It's a little bit funny... maybe silly.... but it is part of all that I am documenting... and it's my everyday miracles. :)

Happy Monday.

Sense of Humor... Very necessary!

It has really been an experience...

After pass of Hurricane Maria thru Puerto Rico we just had to adapt... and survive.

Sense of humor was key.

One day... it was really hot... we didn't have electricity yet, or ice...  And my husband served a warm Gatorade in a flute glass... with fake ice. 

It was just a joke...  Let's laugh and live life as is. :)

I framed the photo with lots of ephemera from different brands and sources...  cut outs, stickers, words from patterned papers, straws, washi tape...

...photo corners, sequins, and more...

Just had to document it...  Hope you like it.

Hobby or Therapy?

You know I've been documenting a few things that happened during pass of Hurricane Maria thru Puerto Rico... or as consequence after it...

One of the things I confirmed during these times of desperation was that having a hobby can be a life saver.  Yes... because in good times, you have a hobby and you enjoy free time, and you share with others in some cases, or simply "pass the time" (There's no coincidence that in Spanish, "hobby" is "pasatiempo")...

But in difficult times... in hard times... it seems that you don't have time for a hobby and it's not a priority.  

However, a hobby like scrapbooking, paper crafts or general crafts... is life saver.  It's like therapy and it gives you a great opportunity to escape.

In my world I get lost... Time passes and I don't realize it.   My mind runs and travels... imagines, creates, and is free.   During these hard times when we didn't have electricity or basic services (we did have food and all we need to live), when I needed to relax... my hobby was there.

So this layout shows how I am free in my world, when I am creating.  I used a design paper as base, that kind of reminds me on things flowing... like air...  it has flowers and beautiful colors but the swirls kind of let me go...

I place my photo in a corner and surrounded it with circles... because I am in my own world and in my own circle when creating...   

Note the bird cages and the birds...  it's symbol of my escape when I am creating...  the cages are a stamp from Unity Stamp Co...

I hope you like my page.  You probably saw it in my facebook or instagram pages.  Let me know your thoughts.  

A CAS card for Unity Show and Tell Challenge

This is a CAS card I shared with my friends at Unity Show and Tell Facebook group.  Just wanted to post it here...

It was a color challenge and I went with love theme.

I used stamps and different kind of tapes, plus enamel dots and cardstock.

Love the combination of these colors... :)

Hope you love my CAS card.  Thanks for stopping by.

Just the 3 of Us!

Hey there!

I have already shared some of these pages in Instagram or facebook but this is kind of the whole mini album of a special day.

Long story short... I have a beautiful goddaughter that a while ago asked to be with only the two of us (hubby and I) for a weekend...  It seems like a very normal thing, right?  but the truth is that we usually share with her on special occasions or mostly when she's with her dad or mom during specific weekends... being her parents divorced.  So, for us to spend the weekend with her, we would need from either one of them to give in some of their time.  This was very difficult to achieve but finally with their consent, her father gave us some precious time.

I decided to document this in a little mini album using "Simple Memories" pocket pages while creating my own cover and using multiple brands cards, papers and more.  I used Crate Paper, Theresa Collins, Glitz, Simple Stories... just to mention some of the brands.

I still think I can add some pages and embellishments, but the core and main documentation is quite done.

We were actually together one day and a half...  We get her one afternoon, went to the movies, had fun... then she spent the night at home...

The following day we had a great brunch, then went to a circus and back in home we made cookies while waited for her to be picked up.

We found out the most she liked was the inexpensive and simple things.  She just wanted to be with us and share activities.  Making cookies was the best for her and this might become a tradition for the three of us... who knows!

We are blessed to have her in our lives and that she loves to spend time with us... and I mean quality time... talking, knowing each other and sharing simple things.

Thank you for you visit.

And thank you specially for your comments... share your thoughts with me please. :) 

Happy Anniversary!

Today's a very special day.  It's my 20th Wedding Anniversary.  I am so grateful to have a great friend as a husband...  Yes,  he's first of all my best friend.  I cannot think of anybody else I have trust and feel comfortable telling anything.  And of course, a great husband who's always taking care of me... in all senses.  Thank you my love. 

I made a very simple card for the occasion using stamps from Unity Stamp Co.  Love this image of the two flute glasses and the heart... it is definitely a symbol of celebration and love.  And also, the sentiment.  We both love wine, so this is like a perfect funny message for us.

Added some glitter as champagne and some watercolors to give some life to the image.

Inside the card I also stamped this image of the hearts in strings, and added the numbers of years of marriage.  The sentiment is also a very cool way to say the message other than the traditional "Happy Anniversary".

This is how it looks...  I used different geometrical shapes with irregular forms, including the blue triangles to make whole composition very asymmetric.

Happy Anniversary my love.  Hope you are reading this.  And this is to many more years together!  Cheers!

Another Scraplift from Paper Issues

Here's another Scraplift from Paper Issues that I loved making it a few days ago.

Original layout is at the end with the link to the challenge so you can also participate.

My husband and I love wine.  we've been tasting wine and enjoying for about 20 years... actually we will have our 20th. anniversary tomorrow and it was at the beginning of our marriage my husband got interested on the topic and we started to learn and enjoy...

Today, my husband is a certified sommelier and still learning and studying... It's just his passion.  I might not get in to so many details as he does, but I sure enjoy wine and it is one of my passions too.  The name of my blog is not just a coincidence, you know? LOL.

I used stamps from Unity Stamp Co and some chipboard, patterned papers and stickers. .. 

Here's the whole view of the page... these are my DH and I :).

And as promised, here's the original layout.  Beautiful, right?   Click HERE if you want to see the details on the challenge.  Have fun.

January Sketch Challenge - Paper Issues

Hola a todos... Hi everyone!

I used a sketch inspiration for this layout about our last Thanksgiving.  There is always so many things to be thankful for... but this past year... was really a challenging year... sot the gratefulness

feeling was even greater.

The sketch I used is from one of the Paper Issues challenges going on this month of January.  Scroll down to see the sketch and link so you can also participate.

I used acrylic paint, doilies, a wooden mason jar lid insert, flowers, sequins, bakers twine, patterned paper and more....

The title in English is "Thank You God".

When you take a look at the original inspiration sketch please note how I twisted it to the left for my page... and hope you like it.  :)

LINK FOR THE CHALLENGE DETAILS IS HERE.

Two Quick Layouts

Hello my dear friends...

Remember I made a layout about a specific happening/learning during struggle of Maria's Hurricane?   Reference HERE.

Well... I intend to make several layouts to document some of the other things that happened or are related to the pass of Hurricane Maria thru Puerto Rico...  It's not a complain whatsoever, but just to remember some things that were and are still being part of our everyday life, worth to remember.

My beautiful Puerto Rico always offers great skies... sunrise or sunset... you enjoy looking at our skies and the different kind of clouds... and the colors...  I'm used to photograph our skies all the time and sometimes I find myself with lots of photos of clouds and skies in my phone... LOL.

But the couple of weeks after Hurricane Maria, I think there was something special in the sky...  There was hope... there was a message of beauty, new beginnings, and faith.   At least that what I felt.  So I chose three photos to represent this in this simple layout.

Another experience related to Hurricane Maria has to be with my birthday.  Yes... my birthday.  I had planned to go to a spa, or maybe have dinner with my husband, or who knows if gathering with friends to celebrate...  But Hurricane Maria had passed about 2 weeks before and we were living chaos in our island.

Millions without basic services such as communications, water, electricity and food.  People without their homes... living in shelters... and lots leaving the island or losing their jobs.

So, the only reason we seem to have to celebrate was my birthday...  but the feeling was not to go to a fancy restaurant of have a party... I just wanted to be there, enjoy the day and be grateful for my life... and the fact that I was going to be able to reintegrate in my job two days right after my birthday (after being very worried and stressful about it)..

So I used lots of elements such as "project life" type cards, patterned papers, stamped images and phrases, buttons, sequins, vellum, and more...

I hope you like my page and thank you for your visit and/or comments.

Scraplift - Paper Issues Challenge

Hola friends.

I made this layout as a scrap lift for Paper Issues Scraplift Challenge.  I've followed Paper Issues for a while and always comment and like, but this is kind of a first contribution/entry to a challenge.  This is a very fun group of talented people and they provide lots of inspirations everyday.

For my layout I used this photo of myself drinking a delicious margarita.  This day we were still without electricity, tap water and lots of other services due to pass of Hurricane Maria.  I know you've  read about some of my stories before but remember I am documenting some things "after Maria".  So this day was like a week after my birthday and we found this place/restaurant providing service... so for me, this margarita was specially to celebrate life.

Note in my page I used several stamps from Unity Stamp Co.  The heart, the sentiment about the little things, the flowers in the circles throughout the sharpie swirls, the diamond shapes at right, and the cool margarita which I watercolored and added some glossy accents and of course the salt (glitter).

Journaling is in Spanish, so here's an English adaptation of what it says:  "We must live the moment and give meaning to each instant of our lives.  Even though my birthday was on October 7th, this delicious margarita is a celebration symbol.  Enjoying the here and the now."

I hope you like my page.  :)

Not leaving without sharing the link for the challenge HERE, and please refer to original gorgeous layout at follows: 

Late Post

Hello friends...

Just stopping by very quick to share this layout with you...  I made it a while ago and shared it in Instagram and Facebook but haven't published it here...

So for the record... this layout is about a special day I celebrate with family.  It's the third Saturday of August, and we call it the "National SIN-HIJOS Day".

We celebrate it to honor my sister in law, my husband and I 'cause are the ones without children...  Mothers have their day, so do Fathers... so we made up our own day...   

In this occasion we went to the mountains or center of the island (what we locally call the "country") and have a great day.

The page is quite simple, although using several elements, mainly stickers , chipboard and pieces of papers.

Hope you like it.  Thanks for stopping by.

Hi Sunshine; Hello Life

Hello...

After pass of Hurricane María for Puerto Rico last September, we didn’t have electric power for a while (still a lot of people without it).  

We suffered a lot but we also reinforce lots of values, and we learned lots of things as well.  I am always a very optimistic person and value the little things in life so we were always very thankful of all we can do to survive this inevitable fact of not having the services and being vulnerable... and all it meant to our lives. 

One night we decided to sleep outside... in the second floor without roof. I was scared at first because we couldn’t afford to get sick in the middle of this chaos we were/are living in our beautiful island... but my dear husband convinced me and it was the best night. Weather was perfect, mosquitoes didn’t bother and I woke up with the kiss of the sun and the birds singing. 

It is my intention to document some other little things that we lived after “María“. This page is one of them. 

Hope you like it. 

This is a job for ... Wine! Welcome 2018!

Well...  HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!  Welcome 2018.  I'm sure it is a cliche to say that prior year was not perfect and that we are looking for a better one when one's receives a new year... right?  Well, I'm going to say it anyway... Looking forward to a better year in 2018.   Of course I had lots of blessings in 2017, and great things happened... but also was sad for most people in my beautiful Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria passed and destroyed a lot.  Still struggling with that, but positive that 2018 will bring better outcome.

Anyways... it's going to be a tough job... we need to continue strong and positive...  That's why I think this card is just perfect to communicate how I feel. LOL!

Coffee will not do it... We'll need better than caffeine...  This is a job for wine!  Cheers to 2018!

I sprayed some water in the card base and played with the different watercolor paints...   I then framed it with cardstock, and distressed one of the edges.

I also used self adhesive cork to frame the sentiment stamped in white... and jewels for a final touch.

Move over coffee... and move over all the negative things, the pessimism, and long faces.  We are ready for wine, for optimism, hard work and smiles...

Happy New Year everybody!