Ali Edwards has been hosting a Week in the Life this week. I had originally intended to join but I wasn’t able to prepare last Sunday and didn’t take as many pictures as I intended. I have not been as good with time management too so I have dark circles to prove that I haven’t been getting much sleep, nor have I been getting much work done. All that is about to change today though. I was up by 8AM even if I slept at 3AM and had bathed my kids and have made some legway with work. I am saving the more difficult ones in the afternoon so I can focus on it when the little one is sleeping. You can say for now, I’m warming up. I want to finish all work so I can scrap tomorrow.

However, if there is one thing I don’t sacrifice at all, that would be the time I spend reading. I am committed to going back to my first love, which is reading. I am currently reading the Time Traveler’s Wife and I am amazed. I sometimes stop as I read it and wonder how that can be and I marvel on the imagination of the author for coming up with something so plausible.

Is there such a thing as Chrono Impairment? I know there is an internal body clock which makes our body wake up when there is sun and crave sleep when it is night. But then, time is also something subjective and constricting – Crystal Oscillator Products in timepieces are the ones that set the frequency of time. When it is broken, like what Henry DeTamble had, the timepiece doesn’t work, and cannot predict correct time. But it is still a clock, like other clocks; like Henry is a person, like the rest of us :0

I have serious hangover – from going on swimming trips.

We had our first ever summer trip getaway last weekend – after a month of rains and typhoons, we finally have some sunshine since the month of May started (on a side note, it has been too hot lately but I don’t want to complain because I don’t want rain – let the sun remain for another three weeks until I get sick of it!). It was perfect timing for the swimming party organized by Jacqui for us mommy bloggers and our families.

I wasn’t able to swim because it was the time of the month so you can understand why I want to go on a swimming trip again – soon. Although I would not be able to fit into this very sexy Victoria’s Secret Bikini, I don’t care. I really just want to swim soon!

I still have the blank halter tankini and matching shorts Glo bought for me two years ago, all I need is to go on a little detoxifying diet so at least I wont be retaining any water and I wont look that bloated. But the fats will need to work with me with the pictures

Where am I planning to take my family? To this promising waterfalls resort five minutes from our place. You cannot beat the price at 50 bucks per person! I plan to have my sisters join us and we can just order chicken and pork liempo at Andok’s with fresh mangoes and bananas!

It was a very eye-awakening experience for me – I just KNOW I will never look at a set or series of photos ever again without thinking what stories it may tell, or what it can teach or tell or remind my kids when they look at it.

Here are some pages I’d like to share:

This is the cover page of the photobook:

I decided to use a blue and yellow theme for the colors (Credits: Dear Diary Kit by Kasia Designs at www.shabbypickledesigns.com). The colors just make me happy

Here is a sample spread of the photo pages:

I decided to have photo spreads and journaling spreads because I wanted to use almost all the photos I have taken. They were blurry, imperfect, grainy but when they came together, it was as if my story for the day was complete
. I also made it a conscious effort to be IN the pictures

And yes, I made use of templates (most of the time). Thanks to Amy Pearson’s 365 Project for the 30-day grid template. I will be sharing my Saturday Photo Spread with you soon. I made that from scratch.

Meanwhile, here is my journal page spread:

I made a template (complete with text paths and elements) and saved it so I will just have to do a copy and paste with the stories. Most stories were lifted from my blogs (I knew all these blogging would be completely useful one day!) and Twitter (I tweet a lot).

You can view the completed book here.

Click here to view this photo book.

And here are the credits:
Kasia Designs – Dear Diary Kit (www.shabbypickledesigns.com)
Ali Edwards – Everday Word Elements, The Story of Today 12×12 Overlays, The Story Word Art (www.designerdigitals.com)
Fonts: SS Mono, Teen
Ali Edwards Week in the Life Project Details

Share yours!

Here are some of the things I did that made my life easier:
1. Dont reinvent the wheel. I am so thankful Ali wrote that in her blog. My album looks cohesive.

2. If you want them all in – make a grid I’ll show you when it’s done. Alright, here is a sneak peek.

3. I have never realized the power of photos and words alone. I think I’m a changed scrapbooker after this.

Hopefully by Monday I can share my album
Off to check Ladybug steam cleaners Have a great weekend (whatever is left of it)

I am going to purge pictures tonight and finally decide how to do this thing – go hybrid (which I want to do but is very close to impossible. Plus Im worried about its wear and tear, Matthew will read it to bits), or go another size (9×6) or go Shutterfly. Shutterfly is the best option. I still have a free book I need to use before the year ends.

Im also going to keep this very simple to make sure I finish it next week (I need people to scrap with so Im making sure Im going along the prompts on Ali’s prompts). Im doing grids and with templates (I might lift a couple of grid layouts and use Janet Phillips one). I have Ali’s products from my failed photo a day for August (08.08) so Im good to go

Im excited. I just need to finish a couple of jobs and then Im scrapping

There is news though that a certain Hollywood star is undergoing alcohol rehab after being released from a drug treatment center six months ago. Yes, my guilty pleasure is to read gossip from other people’s lives

They are talking. Nice. Once in a Blue Moon.

Us. Together in a picture. Granted my head was cut. But still. Once in a Blue Moon.

An email.

My escape.

Twas a good day.
Stayed at my parents for the night.
Got loads of chocolates from Hawaii – Macadami nuts. *YUM*
Insomnia attacks – didnt sleep until it was 5AM the next morning.

So far so good.
I was able to upload pictures for perusing online (Flickr, still uploading). Ill do the jotting of mini stories there.
I also wrote what happened during the day on a word document.
I realized that I should have taken particular pictures but I didn’t.
No worries – I still have six days left.