Summer Workshop Ongoing!

Hello everyone! Just updating everyone on what's going on with our little Arts and Crafts Workshop. We're on our sixth week! And so far, it's going great.

Here's my Watercolor Painting Workshop in the morning. We were doing a lesson on color schemes, this one, it's about a Triadic color combination with Primary Colors as applied to a simple still life.

This Pencil Drawing Workshop is in the afternoon (we move to the patio after lunch, because it's cooler there in the afternoon). Here, the kids are doing separate projects because they finish each of their drawings at their own pace. The youngest was doing lines because she started just today. The oldest was doing a pencil rendering of the clay jar on her right side. The two on the left were doing their simple bowl, trying to apply shades and shadows on their drawings. The one on the foreground was finishing up with her set of line drawings of objects based on basic forms like cylinder, sphere, cone, and cuboid.

Last Saturday, we had someone who signed up for a Paper Cutting Workshop. Since it's her first time to do anything related to this craft, we chose to make a simple monogram for her which she also designed. We mounted her finish product after we cleaned up her project.

Next up on our schedule!

April 30 (Saturday) - Mini-Scrapbooking Class
May 7 (Saturday) - Mini-Scrapbooking Class
May 14 (Saturday) - Perspective Drawing Class
May 21 (Saturday) - Exhibit!

Weekend Arts and Crafts Workshop 2015

Hola!

Wow. My goodness. How long has it been?

So much personal things happened and still are happening, but I think I've adjusted enough to do this.

This year, soon, hopefully, I'll start my Weekend Arts and Crafts Workshop here in San Pablo City, Laguna, that will run all year through with few breaks in between. It'll be open to everyone from 6 to 106 years old. Heh! Not a joke, though. The Arts part will include drawing, painting and mixed media art classes. On the other hand, the Crafts part will focus mostly on papercrafts, because that's what I love the most.

I'm still thinking if I'd like to offer calligraphy class but I'm mostly a fan of really pretty handwriting for everyday use, and not the artistic kind that which could be framed afterwards. If there are people who are interested in improving their handwriting, then I'd probably offer that... even if I'd only have a couple of students.

Each class will have 10 sessions of 2-4 hours each. If you want to stay beyond that, it's up to you. Bring your lunch and snacks, though. I'll provide water. Arts classes will be in the morning. Crafts classes in the afternoon. Lessons will be age appropriate, so it's going to be, more or less, one-on-one instruction even if we're going to be in a big group.

Even if you think you don't know how to draw and you still want to take classes, please come! You will surprise yourself. I promise. So, if you're around my area, please check us out after I've hashed out and posted the details.

Fees will be on a per session basis. There will be an official announcement later on.

See you later, guys!

It's Going To Be A Long Summer Vacation

Hello everyone!

Just read the news yesterday that, apparently, our school calendar will shift and Academic Year 2014-2015 will start in August. Four months out of school, and that means a lot of time for papercrafting. So much time I could devote to it and yet...

My problem, and this has always been my problem for years and years, I cannot stop reading. I would start reading something and say, "Oh, just two chapters today." or "Just those two articles," and then I will do chores. Or do some crafts. No. That never happens. I would devour that book till the last page, and would realize the day has come and gone. Sometimes, I would realize, months have passed. 

I wish I could say, "I will do crafts this coming four months and nothing but that," but I'm sure it won't be true. I'll try my best. I hope this would be better than my New Year's Resolutions where none ever came close to happening.

Here's me. Giving myself a pep talk to do creative things in the next four months. GO!

WASTED Box Sets

Hello everyone!

I said I'm going to post something around the 15th. Well, the 16th pretty much still hugs around the 15th, yes? Anyway, I was just so tired last night to post anything at all, so I'm doing it now.

Yesterday, Gerry had a signing at Comic Odyssey for one of his comic books. Also, we got to deliver 10 of these box sets as well. We offered 20 box sets but as it is submissions time at the uni, I wouldn't be able to do that for the 15th. So, 10 sets, and another set for delivery on April 12th for this Summer Komikon or the Philippine Komiks Convention. I actually made something similar back in 2009 for Elmer comics.

Anyway, what is a box set? I think, you guys are familiar with your dvd or Blu-ray box sets, right? It's similar to that. It is a set of related materials in a box, simply put. For this one, it is a set of printed and handwritten materials related to the comic book Wasted. My husband made this comics 20 years ago and it still has such a following up to today. This edition is the third printing, excluding the one that was printed in Fudge magazine years back. Now, for Summer Komikon, we are going to launch another comic book written by my husband and drawn by my cousin, Arnold Arre, titled Rodski Patotski. It's in full color and printing is not really cheap so we thought of raising some funds for that. One of them was to produce these box sets.

It contained a hardbound copy of Wasted with a slipcase. If you look at the above photo, the book is the one splattered in red paint and the one behind it is the slipcase. It goes inside the bottom compartment of the box which is also the main box, and on top of it, there is another compartment for the extras as shown here:

The box is black to complement the comics, and lined inside with a textured red board because textured board is very glue-friendly. The bottom inside of the main box has strips of black board that act as corbel to hold up the top compartment. It also has a black ribbon to pull up the book as it would be difficult to remove it without something aiding it up. If you also notice, the top compartment also has a ribbon loop so it would be easy to pull it up as well.

Here's the inside so you can see more clearly:

And here's Zara, wrapping and labeling the boxes in Japanese (tissue) paper and plastic bags to avoid dirt and grime sticking to them. And of course, I wouldn't want the photo on top sticking to the plastic:

Here's a link to the digital version of the comics if you want to read it. Be ready for the angst! You will know also why the book cover is splattered in red paint.

Wasted Comics Online

Here's a link to my husband's web site:

Komikero.Com

I would like to make a video or photoset tutorial for these boxes. Sometimes, though, when I'm so into it, I forget what other things I'm supposed to do. I hope I don't forget this time.

See you next time!

Positive, Negative

Happy New Year everyone! It's 2014! Aren't you all excited?

Here's another project. It's a collection of 3.75" x 4.25" cards in a box. I'm fairly new to Cricut which was a gift from a friend that had been in storage for a couple of years before I got around to using it. Ha! Anyway, one of the best things about it is that I can use both the positive and the negative pieces from the cut to get two objects in one go, and this is what happened.

I can't tell you about the papers I used, though. I'm not good at tracking the paper brands I use.

That Day in November

Hello everyone!

I hope it's great where you are.

First of all, we, here in the Philippines, experienced the worst typhoon in recorded history ever, as I'm sure you all know by now, and our countrymen from the south experienced the worst. There are relief stations set up in places but you can also donate through Red Cross below. Just click the image to direct you to the site:

In other news, I survived my first semester in my chosen MA. I'm finding Curriculum Studies really fascinating, and I'm realizing Education as a course is really hard. I had a hard time adjusting to academia, I don't even know if I've adjusted yet, but it's very exciting to have my brain exercised that only academics can. I'm enrolled for this semester and, hopefully, I won't have any reason to stop until I'm finished with my thesis. One of my professors suggested a very, very good topic that I'd really like to explore. It has something to do with heritage conservation, K-12 curriculum and nationalism.

Less than month ago, I took a trip with the husband! However, I'd write about it some other time. I don't think it's the right time to talk about with what happened yesterday. As a sneak peek, though, this is where we went:

For the next few days, I'll be busy with some bookbinding, slipcases and boxes that would go together for a special project. Here goes something all black. I'll talk about it when it's finished. I have yet to find some red boards for the lining which I haven't found after visiting some supplies store.

So yes. Papercrafting is still a go. It's not going to be as often as I would like it to be. Sometimes, I'm just exhausted thinking about curriculum-related things whether I'm on either side of a lesson plan. I hope it changes soon enough.

Till later.

Such a long, long time ago...

... was my last post.

Anyway, hello again everyone! It was such a busy year and so much have changed!

I resigned from the previous school because I'm back to university this school year, and I'd like to focus on that for a bit; give myself time to adjust to being a student again. I started my Master of Arts in Education major in Curriculum Studies at the University of the Philippines in Diliman because I plan on teaching college kids next at a soon-to-be school of architecture where I live. Besides, it's time to admit to myself, I'd like to be a proper educator with degree and everything.

At first I was like, I'm going to find a nearby school to get my graduate studies done; just to get that degree. However, I found myself hopping from college to college, university to university just to find that elusive MA major; I even interviewed college deans (I know, right?!) just so I have a feel if it's the right thing for me. That wasn't a joke. I really did that. In the end, I thought, I'm going to spend precious resources might as well go all out. 

So, I went back to my Alma Mater and inquired. My former professors at the College of Architecture were the ones who pointed out to me to inquire at the College of Education. I saw their programs and when I laid eyes on Curriculum Studies, it was love at first sight. Ha! So I'm in my first semester and I'm quite overwhelmed right now.

To counter that, I haven't left papercrafting. Of course not. I would need that to keep myself sane. I have individual students for this one; an idea I haven't thought of until a parent asked me to guide her daughter with regards to papercrafting.

I left the school I taught at earlier than expected for health reasons, and my first and second grade students sent me these really cute paintings and wrote beautiful things at the back. Their homeroom teacher swore up and down that they thought of this themselves. It was such a beautiful thing. I'm still thinking of what I'd give them in return as thank you.

What's Going On?

Hello everyone!

So many things going on and none at the same time. Hee!

Last 8th of January I had a lecture on scale model making with approximately 150 freshmen at the UP College of Architecture. That was fun! But they're a LOT! I even made a few samples that I left with them. The instructors were so sweet and generous. So thank you so much Chris, Patrick, Maureen, Faith and Celine! Much, much appreciated.

Since, I have nothing to do yet (except trying to finish my 2010 scrapbook album), I'm organizing my binder of lesson plan so it doesn't catch up with me later on. First semester is done so, it's about time. Classes are doing great! The students are amazing and some are showing real promise. As it was when I taught high school seniors, I also have bystanders in the Art Room during their lunch break. They're so sweet. Wednesdays are exhausting, yes, but their excitement makes up for it.

And today, I'm going back to my old school and will try to think about what to do with the bulletin boards at the reception lobby in preparation for the Emerald Anniversary. Canossa College is 55 years old!

In February, there's a wedding invitation design I need to focus on. She wants it different, fun, a bit informal and reusable. So, let's see.

Till then...

An Invitation and a Christmas Production

Hoooookaaay..... Merry Christmas everyone!! In advance... because I feel so free right now. Free from deadlines. No work until after New Year, I told myself. Well, aside from the teaching thing. Then again, that's not really work... and the other things I do are not exactly work because they're all fun to make!! The second half of November and the first week of December had been really, really busy. So, I'll just fire away.

First is the invitation I did. This is how it came out, and I did 150 of these which I delivered two weeks ago. The theme is movies so this is what came about. The envelope is a clapper and the invitation itself are oversized movie tickets. I just wrapped it around with a burgundy ribbon. The father asked, "Why do you have to put ribbon around it?" He's hysterical, good thing for him, he's a very good friend.

If you're reading my tweets, you would have read me talking about the train. The train made from corrugated boards. Well here it is. These are the before pictures:


And this was this was taken earlier during the performance.

This supposedly was a dungeon wall where Izzy, Rosie and the Broken Toys were kept by the Abominable Snowman. This was made from newspaper, tissue paper, glue and paint. Thank you Neil Buchanan and Art Attack for teaching me to use these four materials to do just about anything!! And these two were my very able and very giggly assistants, Zara and Edjee. They're amazing! It's easy to meet deadlines with these two.

This was the set for T'was the Night Before Christmas. I wish I could have gotten a better photo because, modesty aside, it turned out so well in person. The stars hanging were made by the kids, pre-kinder to fourth grade. I promised them I'll hang them so I did with the help of Mang Eli. You have to keep your promises to kids!! If you can't, don't promise anything at all.

A closer take with the lights on. For before photos, please check out previous entries.

The three of us after the show.

These are my co-teachers with my assistants. From the left, Grace (prek/k homeroom teacher), Anna (3rd/4th grade teacher), Weng (Music Teacher/Music Director for the show. She's amazing! You just have to help her out to achieve what we're able to do tonight.), Edjee, Maya (Administrative Coordinator), Zara, Maan (Teacher Assistant) and me. Steve (1st & 2nd grade teacher) and Mark (PE teacher) were a bit shy to face the camera.

And us again. :)

It was so much fun, I tell you. Better than last year's in terms of children's performances and the general vibe and as if everything just comes together by Divine Intervention, like Anna mentioned after the show.

I also mentioned something about a magazine. Well, I'll pick them up on Friday and I'll post something about that on Sunday.

Well, I think I'll sleep now... finally. :)

Three Sets

These three sets of Notepad/Penholder combo, Keychain Mini-Albums and Origami Albums were sent this morning as samples.

Manly Invitation

These are the invitations I made for a friend who also happens to be an architect. It's quite new to me, because I'm used to small girls and floral-like invites, but it's a whole lot easier to make. It took quite awhile for us to get to how this would look like but it took only a day to finish 50 of them. I would've wanted a blueprint for the 'plan' but they smell horrible especially if they're going to give these away to people not used to that smell. Besides, tracing paper looks smashing!

Meanwhile, I'm contemplating of ways to package 3 sets of samples to give a client. And I'm currently at the edge of my seat about this contract thing at school. Looks like I really have the job. Yay! for the new Art Consultant. My position isn't called Art Teacher... I'm an Art Consultant. Heee!

Birthday Souvenirs

December last year, my mother saw the notepad-penholder combo in my stash of goodies I'm selling. She just exclaimed, "I want these for Seya's souvenirs!" So, she asked me how much my budget should be sans labor, because a) she's my mother and b) she always volunteered to wash my dishes whenever she comes over. I thought it was a nice trade-off. One of my nieces turned 7 years old yesterday and these were her giveaways at her party today.

I made a slight modification to the notepad design because the flowers that were originally there I made by hand. And I absolutely have no more time to do them over 50 times for these. I thought she'd understand. The non-labor element's quite a good bargaining chip. :)

Oh, the pencils were not included. That's totally her idea and purchase. I just included them in the wrapping.

Shipping Today

Here are two mini-albums I'm shipping today for a friend. I'm still finishing four other minis, two of which are identical. I really do enjoy doing these small things. It's like doing scale models again.

Roses from SM

I wish we have a craft store here in San Pablo where I can just go and buy things I like. Unfortunately, there is none. Fortunately, we have none or I'll spend so much more than I should have. I am not fond of ordering online though I do it from time to time. I need to see and touch whatever it is in person.

The other day, I was in Makati to buy some stuff. And while there, I decided to buy some buttons, ribbons and lace from Carolina's in Glorietta 5 (there's another branch at the 2nd floor of Megamall B). Divisoria would be ideal cost-wise but it is just too far away and savings from my purchases would not be enough to compensate the stress I'd get just by going there. Anyway, I then went up to SM's 4th floor to hunt for some flowers I will use for my crafts, and found these on sale. I think they look quite pretty. I arranged them on top of my table and I'd probably pluck out what I need when I need them. Admittedly, I haven't seen the more elaborate flowers by Prima. But I'm quite happy with the ones from SM.

Carolina's and SM are not exactly craft stores. Well, Carolina's is debatable of course, but these places are my go to places every time I need something and don't have the time (or patience) to peruse online.

Vintage Printables

Happy April everyone! I'll resume posting about my projects later this month, in the meantime here is a very good site for those of you who love vintage images that you can print out yourselves for your art journals, mini-albums, collages and other craft projects.

This blog provides a variety of images in really large files that you can print out. However, please read the disclaimer on their 'About and Public Domain Manifesto' about, well, public domain and copyright issues before proceeding.

Here is the site: Vintage Printables

Question About Paperbag Albums

This is truly a curious question because I don't really see the point.

Why do you use paperbags when you are going to cover it with pretty papers? Isn't the point of using the material is to explore and expose its own properties and make it pretty without covering it with other types of paper unless, maybe, you're collaging on it? I mean, why call it paperbag album if you can't see the paperbag?

I don't understand. Honestly, if it is just utilizing paperbags as another material and it isn't being called paperbag album, I won't be asking this question.

Because Life is Full of Scraps

Personally, I really don't like having bits and pieces of paper lying around (even if they're organized by color in a binder) especially if most of them have been around since 2003. I thought I'm going to use them all up before I buy anything new. I think I'm making a headway in terms of clearing my scraps out. Although, this year, it became sort of necessary to buy new papers for new orders as it should be.

Anyway, here are some of the things I did with the scraps.

This is a modified file folder mini-album. Actually, this was inspired a bit by this YouTube video of Marion Smith. I don't have those envelopes from junk mails nor do I want to use new ones but what I had were big scraps that I could cut down using a file folder template I did. Some of the scraps were double-sided patterned cardstock. Some, I glued lining inside. Some of the ribbons were scraps and the tags inside were made from a kraft folder left over by my niece from her project.

This next one is a tag album. The tags themselves are leftovers from my husband's bristol board scraps. He has a lot when he cuts down large boards for use as 11" x 17" drawing pages. I just glued similar-colored patterned papers on both sides of each tag and draw stitching lines to sort of 'unite' each pattern. I have yet to to put pictures on the albums. And I still have two coptic-bound mini-albums to complete. *Sigh*

Some were used for bookmarks and artist trading cards I have no one to swap with as I don't belong to any group. Although, I could swap again with the awesome Chris Palmer.

And I have punched quite a lot of little circles and squares and did a lot of bristol board buttons which I like more than chipboard ones since it has a white core. My nieces had already used some of those scraps. And I still have a lot of them remaining!! What else could I do with them? Serenity squares? Heh. Because honestly, I want to replace my stash already. I don't want to be saddled with stuff anymore than I can use.

October Project Updates

It's been awhile! While I resolved to post things as often as I could, I find myself writing less. Why is that? Anyway, a friend ordered 100 pieces of 2010 calendars for Christmas along with 5 notepads with hard cover that I'm going to start doing by Thursday. I'm telling you now, they're really a lot! But they're so much fun to make and early orders are always, always easy to deal with and very much appreciated.

Yesterday, I delivered a coptic-bound scrapbook album with pre-made pages to another friend. I think I really did well on that one. :) Sadly, I didn't take a picture. :( There's another one for December so I'm going to make an effort to remember to take its photo.

There's a project I've been doing for the past few months. You might think that it's really huge. Not really. It's just a 4" x 8" (plywood size) bulletin board that would go up a clinic wall. It's really a cool project. That board would hold up hundreds of photos of children who are patients of my pediatrician friend. She said, they're her pride and joy aside from her own. Cutting up the photos took a lot of time. Then there's the matter of finding a 1/2" or 3/4" thick cork board (we haven't found any!), but we ended up using the ordinary 1/4" ones. My furniture-maker did not disappoint! They're going to deliver that to the clinic on Thursday where it's going to be painted a deep, deep brown, the same color as the trims in that room. I can't believe it! I've been doing bulletin boards almost my entire life!

And I'm doing some projects to get rid of my scraps I've had since 2003. Geez! Some of those papers I ordered through eBay or some Canadian firm because nothing was available here at that time... or at least, nothing I knew of. I'll post them next time. Yes, before October ends!



My friend Chris, gave me these beautiful, hand-carved unmounted rubber stamps for my birthday! How lucky am I to be the recipient of these. She took the time out of her very, very busy schedule (being both a student and a lecturer), to make me these. Awwwww... how sweet that is. Thanks so much Chris! And DON'T go easy on the kids. :)

So, that's it for now and see you later!

For the Love of Bookbinding

Hello everyone!! It's the beginning of the -ber months and we know what it means: Christmas is just around the corner. The weather, though, isn't helping us setting the mood. No matter. In a few days time, it will be better.

Of all the papercrafting that I dabbled in, bookbinding is my most favorite. I love them all, don't get me wrong, but there's something about making books that hold so much appeal to me.

I've been doing a lot of this for quite awhile but Coptic stitch binding had eluded me for so long that when I got the chance to really sit down and learn it, it was such an accomplishment. So here are my first couple of coptic stitch-bound books. I truly enjoyed and loved the process I went through to get to these two.


I wanted to post this a long time ago but haven't gotten around to do it. It's Gerry's copy of the Elmer boxset and slipcase.

I'm planning on making a few more books for personal mini-albums that I've been planning to do for the last three years that I haven't gotten around to doing because, well, other things take priority. This time, I'm making it a priority. This house is distinctly lacking in albums! The irony of it is very glaring, I know. But I'm planning on rectifying that.

There Was A Time...

... when we called it 'letter transfer' or 'transfer tones' in college. We used them for labels and titles and rendering in mixed media. When I got into papercrafting full time and was exposed to scrapbooking and cardmaking products, I learned that they call it rub-ons and they have lots of designs too! And transfer tones now refer to transferring ring tones from computer or mobile to another mobile phone! How things change. :)

I bet, those letter transfers at National Bookstore and SM Stationery are sorely neglected because I can see them stacked and rubber banded and shoved up the corner shelves. I hope some of you notice them when you go visit.