TIME

I once heard a story about a King who asked his wise men to think and come up with a message he could engrave in his ring and he could refer to any time. The wise men discussed for a while until one day they brought the news that they've got it. They claimed they have agreed on a simple message that no matter what was going on, the phrase will serve well as inspiration and guidance to the King. The phrase was: This will also pass. If the King was in trouble, didn't know what to do, sad or in disgrace... he would know it was all going to pass and come to an end. But if the King was in glory, enjoying abundance, good friends and health... he would also know that it was all going to pass and come to an end.

And you know, I used a lot a different phrase, which is "Everything is temporary". When I had a friend asking advice, I would say... everything is temporary... good or bad. Be sure you will go on after a problem, but also enjoy the good moment because all is temporary.

So anyway, I made this layout about TIME. In the journaling I basically express how I feel about how cruel time can be. I feel it in my skin... I see it in my body... but at the same time, it (time) comforts me because I try to always have in mind that everything is temporary.

I took the photo one day I was in a business trip and felt kind of alone, and decided to take a picture of how I looked "alone"... how weird is that? I know... but then when I looked at the photo, the "time" thing came to my mind and I knew I was going to do a Layout about it.


I definitely wanted to use clocks in the layout and not only I made up a big clock with circles and arrows, but also found this patterned paper from Memory Stor with clocks in the design.


I also wanted to add varied embelishments to support the theme. Butterflies for me are symbols of short time. Most of them only live one day. I stamped some, cut them and put some glossy and bling bling. It's the first time I use Glossy Accents, so it was kind of messy, but I liked it. Hope you like it too.

I also added some other embelishments thinking the same. An antique frame (old symbol), a flower (short life), a little purse (vanity that don't last), leaves (season's changes), and numbers all over the place...

Finally, I tried to make the layout look overall with a nostalgic look. This is really not my favorite style but I'm happy with the result in general. What do you think?

Thanks for your TIME...

(patterned paper: Memory Stor; journaling circles: Sweet Water; brad, chipboard accents, leave stamps, metal frame: Portafolia; chipboard numbers: American Crafts; glittered chipboard: K&Co; butterfly stamp: TAC; chipboard title and arrows: Fancy Pants Designs; inks: Color Box, Staz On; pen: Sakura; Glossy Accents; paint: Making Memories; bling bling: Heiddi Swapp; adhesives: Scotch, Generations; miscellaneous: black/white cardstock, flower, circle punch, Cricut Expression machine)

Brie Cheese ... What a Surprise!!!

Hello there...

Remember about my blog? Main purpose is to share my scrapbooking projects, but I might also share comments, information or quotes about wine and cheese.

I had this experience with brie cheese and thought it was nice to share with you. The other day my husband arrived from Costco and brought some Brie cheese, red chili pepper jelly, and crackers with poppy seeds. I was surprised because he does not like soft cheeses that much and he had tried Brie before but definitely wasn't a favorite. He said he tried it with the jelly and cracker as a sample in the store and he liked it so much that he wanted me to try.

At first I thought these flavors were so different that they would not match at all, and then I was amazed with the combination of these three! Great flavor!

Some might find Brie too bland or the red chili pepper jelly too spicy, but believe me, that combination make each of these products come to life. Try it! Use cracker as base, put a thin slice of brie and top it with jelly... Enjoy!!!

Brie is a very soft cheese that "has a delicate mushroomy flavor, creamy texture, and a soft, downy, pure white rind. Most are made from cow's milk."* The center is usually softer and richer with age. If you prefer to have it only with wine, I've read it is good to pair with Pinot Noir or Merlot.

(*Reference and photo: A Taste of Cheese - Ryland Peters & Small(R))

I will re-focus on ME

One of the things I have intended to do this year is to dedicate more time to things that I love, my health, happiness, time with family and friends, and simply enjoy the little things in life. This doesn't mean that I don't usually take care of myself and appreciate all these things, but the last few years I've been weak somehow trying to please myself and putting in perspective what's really important.

This layout was made thinking of all this. Journaling was so personal I decided to hide it behind the photo (you pull the circle and it reveals a tag with journaling), but it's basically the essense of what I just said.

The photo was taken on New Year's Eve to remind me I promised to do some different things this year. I have to confess... that so far, I'm doing good with my resolutions. I even have a blog to be able to share my feelings and my scrapbooking work. Isn't it amazing?

Do you have any resolutions this year? Have you accomplished them? How are you doing?

Be honest!!!

(patterned paper: Bo Bunny; chipboard letters and shapes: Basic Grey, Color Bok, Fancy Pants; adhesives: Scrapbook adhesives, Generations, Scotch; pen: Sakura; ink: Color Box; bling bling: Beaux Art; miscellaneous: cardstock, stickers, paper trimmer, scissors)

Special Mini Album

Hello everybody!

I made a mini album recently... very simple one... but very special. It's not an ordinary mini album that we get to show off because of special techniques used, extraordinary materials, or awesome pictures... No! It's a very special mini album because it was full of messages for a friend with cancer.

We have a co-worker dealing with this process and we thought what a better way to express our love and solidarity than writing messages for her.

So I simply organized all the messages in this special mini album... not a fancy album... but full of love. I hope you like it and somehow inspires you to create something today, or maybe call a friend or relative in pain, and tell him/her how you feel.

Have a good day, weekend, week! Take some time to be imperfect and enjoy the beauty of it!

Page Maps Contest

What a week!!! I've really been through a lot... but Scrapbooking can always be a relaxing tool... cheaper than therapy some say, right?

Page Maps is giving away some good candy from Scrap Attack Scrapbooking. Below is the candy and the sketch contest. And you can have more information by clicking HERE.

And since this sketch is so gorgeous (I found it to be a so perfectly balanced layout map), I decided to participate... I had this photo of my 3-year old Rottweiler dog, Malbecwith another Rottweiler from a friend ... (yes, I know... malbec is a name of a grape... but it's my favorite one... it's not any grape... fruity but strong at the same time!!! So the name of the dog is Malbec). The other dog is a female 7-month old Rottie called Isis. I wanted to do a layout with the photo showing how cool Malbec looked if he had a companion. Don't they look nice?

Note that the stitches in the layout are stamped; and also note that the patterned strip at left if not a ribbon, but cut from the patterned paper. I didn't want the background paper to be only one design, so I added two green strips with edges to top and bottom to frame even more the photo. I also found the jounaling tablets were just perfect for the theme showing the meaning of the word "companion" and having phrases such as "best friend", etc... They are caled "Journal Tablet Dog" from Little Yellow Bicycle.


The photo I used is a 7"x5" so the dimensions of all the elements are kind of different from the original sketch, but this is the beauty of scraplift, isn't it?



So, this is my interpretation of the sketch and I don't just only hope you love it, I'm also hoping Page Maps loves it too, so I can win that tremendous giveaway!!!! And I won't be mad if you want to participate also... it's a great contest... hurry up, you have until next Sunday!!!

(patterned paper: DCWV; cardstock: American Crafts; letters: American Crafts, Making Memories; Journal Cards: Little Yellow Bicycle, Sweetwater Scrapbook; stamp (stitch): The Angel Company; inks: Staz-On, Color Box; adhesives: Scotch, Glue Dots, Scrapbook Adhesives; ribbon: Offray; chipboard: K&Company; edge punch: Martha Stewart; brad: Portafolia; buttons: Favorite Findings, WeRMemoryKeepers; miscellaneous: computer, paper trimmer)

Have a Sparkling Week!

Hello there!

You know... despite the atypical rain we are having this Summer, it's been very hot in Puerto Rico these days. Sparkling wine is a good option! I recently tried one called Suá. It it sweet and has natural strawberry pulp. Very good... and refreshing.

And now, getting ready for Monday? I have a lot of work at my job this week, and also a lot to do at personal level... but I'm ready! I was born ready!

Hope you have a wonderful week!