Pullip Play

I couldn't sleep last night.  I already turned the computer off, so I was looking for something else to do.  Then I saw my Pullip Doll still nestled in its box in the corner.  I have been back almost a week and I still haven't laid my hands on this doll.  So I took a cutting knife and carefully cut the top plastic.  I felt like I was a little girl, slowly, but very excitedly, opening a present.  I want to keep the box as it is as much as I can.  There were lots of twist ties in the back of the inner box securing the doll in its place.  I took my time and took each one off.  When was the last time I owned a doll?  I used to love Barbies and I couldn't get enough of them.  And now it seems I'm going back to that phase. 

The Pullip doll is really something.  It has movable joints in the arms, legs, hands and feet.  You can pose them in different ways.  I love the way the eyes can move from left to right using a lever in the back of its head.  Either eye can also wink.  I love the hair, too.  Which makes me think what kind of comb should I use for it?  Should I use a Barbie comb or a regular human comb?  My mind was racing on what kind of clothes I'll make for my doll.  And maybe I can make some furniture with my ceramic molds or something.  I saw on the internet that some of the popular dolls' clothes can fit the Pullip doll.  You can check them out here.  While browsing, I found that this Pullip hobby is serious.  There are quite a bunch of Pullip community websites and even swap meets are being held.  You can actually change the doll's hair and eyes, and that there are 3 Pullip body types.  Some people even go to the extremes and customize their Pullips.  You can find out more about it by clicking here.

What I like most about the Pullip is that it's really a collectible item.  They don't mass produce this doll, and they release a different doll style or theme every month.  It is not cheap, and therefore I would really think that this doll would be more appreciated, and well taken care of, by adults.  I will never give a $100 (or even more) doll to my own 10 year old (and below) daughter, if and once I have one.  If I become rich, I'd like to buy as many of the different styles as I can.

Having this Pullip doll in my hands brought a sense of amusement I've never felt in years.  It's like I'm young again.  I enjoyed changing its clothes and posing the doll in different forms then taking photos.  I wonder what my husband would say if he saw me playing with my Pullip last night.  (Check out the shots I took by clicking here.)

Thanks to this doll, I went to bed at 2:30 am.

Trip Report

It sure is hard when you've been away from your craft epicenter for over a month.  I don't know where to start.  Thanks to jetlag, I am taking advantage of waking up early this morning to start writing something. 

I was actually happy to see some goodies waiting for me in my craft room after my visit to the Philippines and Japan.  There were 3 magazines, StampingBella stamps and a two page layout from Caroline Eckel of SplitCoastStampers.  For a moment there, I was trying to recall what other tools and supplies I have.  Which ones are new and which ones are not.  That's kinda exciting, don't you think?  I sometimes like it when I learn that I actually have a certain tool or product - talk about the effects of hoarding!

Anyway, my trip was a blast.  After being in the Philippines for a month, I realized that the scrapbooking scene there is not really as fun as in the States.  Scrapbooking supplies are not as accessible and they're a bit more expensive, because they're basically imported.  There are some local suppliers, but they are not as appealing when you already have a lot on hand.  However, I think that is a good thing for scrapbookers in the Philippines because it's more challenging to make do with what is available.  Their creativity pot is stirred up a little bit more,

and their page layouts are really amazing.  I enjoyed shopping for crafting stuff, not in the malls or department stores, but in the market.  Divisoria to be exact.  There are so many craft finds there, you just have to know how to look.   I am so excited with the stuff I was able to buy there, not to mention the price.  My favorite spot is Tabora Street, where you can find a lot of stuff you can use for crafting.  I so wish I can show you the photos right now, but all the stuff I bought are still in the mail.  I'll blog more about it in detail when they arrive.  So, my goal of being able to create a traditional layout while in the Philippines wasn't met.  However, thanks to the internet, I was still able to make one (yeah, only one) digital layout.  I used Memory Mixer entirely for this one.  IThis is actually a sample I made for my cousin who wants to give digital scrapbooking a shot.  I can't wait to see her first layout :) 

While in the Philippines, I was able to contact a good artist:  Stakkkato.  He's really good with digital caricatures.  I just had to ask him to make a caricature of me and my husband.  I so love the final product!  The price is very reasonable too :)  I wish you all the best in this business of yours, Stakkato!  And thanks! 

I have to admit that I was more excited to go shopping in Japan than in the Philippines.  To tell you the truth, my Japanese shopping list was a lot longer. 

Even though Japan doesn't have a lot of the popular scrapbooking brands from the US, they still have a lot of their own products which a lot of American crafters are so crazy about.  Take for example the Copic Ciao Markers. 

Stampers are so crazy about them here in the States, and they are not cheap.  Each marker costs $3.95 from the original website.  Some select online shops sell it for $2.99. 

In Yuzawaya Craft Store near Yamato Station in Japan, I was able to get each marker for $2.38, based on the current dollar-yen rate.  So I bought 50 of the popular colors.  You should see the big smile on my face.  This alone made my trip oh so worthwhile.  Yuzawaya is my favorite craft store in Japan.  You'll find everything there - from stained glass, beads, wood crafts, scrapbooking, sewing, needle crafts... name it.  You can even take craft classes, but being in Japan, they are not cheap.  If you become a member (for 500 Yen, about $4.85 yearly), you automatically get 10% discount on most of your purchases.  Because I was by myself, I took my time and feasted my eyes on each of the four floors.  I wanted to live there. 

Of course, my trip to Japan won't be complete without going to Daiso, a very popular 100 Yen Store.  However, I already bought a bunch of stuff there before we moved to the States, so I didn't have to buy so much this time.  If ever you guys go to Japan, make sure to visit the Daiso Giga Machida Store, as it boasts a floor area of 35,500 sq. ft. of goodies.  That's the one I go to frequently way back when.  I just learned that the biggest one is the Daiso Giga Funabashi Store with 71,000 sq. ft. of shopping area.  I'll make sure to go there next time I go to Japan (I wonder when???).

Another goal of my Japan trip is to buy me a Pullip Doll.  I blame it on Marie Montero, for her blogs about the darn doll (hehehe).  Thanks to my dear friend Atsuko, she was able to find a shop that sells Pullips.  The one we went to is Sunny Side Up in Valley Vanguard of World Porters Mall, Yokohama.  I was actually surprised to see how big the dolls are.  I thought they're the same size as Barbie dolls. 

The one I bought is Zuora, which was released on my birth month (October) 2006.  I really want to have the Youtsuzu, to be released in July or August this year.  I have a feeling I'll be having a new collection....  I can't wait to crochet some clothes for my Pullip doll.  Who knows what else I can make for this doll???

OK, that's it for now.... 'till next blog!

I'm Back!!!

My one month vacation in the Philippines and three days of stay in Japan are finally over!  Each day was a blast.  I just arrived home yesterday, and the 13-hour plane ride drove me crazy.  I have lots of things to share, fellow crafters.  But for now, I'm just checking in because I have to unpack a lot of stuff.  Brace yourselves for a lot of updates :)

Meanwhile, back to reality for me...

It's Our Day

Happy Scrapbooking Day!!!  What are you scrapbooking enthusiasts going to create on our special day?

This event makes me miss my planet more :(  

I haven't done a layout for more than a week.  I purposely left some blank pages on my sister's scrapbook, so I can make some pages here in Manila.  I have been here for two weeks already but I haven't done any major craft shopping.  I'm looking forward to our Divisoria trip so I can buy craft materials for a good price.  It is going to be a challenge making a scrapbook page here with limited supplies, especially when I'm used to having everything I need in my craft room.  I did look around SM Megamall today because they are having a 3-day sale.  I first saw the Simplejoys shop.  They sell beading and scrapbooking supplies.  And because it's a mall-wide sale event, a lot of their items are on sale.  A variety of scrapbooking embellishments/materials are P50 (about $1.25).

None of them I've ever seen in the states, and it seems to me that the quality can match those being sold in the US.  I did try to stop myself from buying so much, because there are still a lot of shops to explore.  I just decided to buy one ribbon set because I like the color combination.  Six 1 yard ribbon strips for that price is really not that bad.I saw another craft store, but I wasn't impressed with their items.  Then I just had to go to Papemelrotti again.  I saw these notebooks perfect for sketching scrapbook layouts.  It's only P14.40 after the 20% discount (originally P18).  That's only about $0.59. 

These notebooks can be altered too!  I bought quite a bunch of these :)This week, check out your favorite scrapbook stores (online too!) and they might be having special deals for National Scrapbooking day.  I'm kinda sad because I'm not in the US for this.  But in a way I'm glad because I'm actually saving money.  QVC is celebrating this event and they have a lot of cool scrapbooking stuff.  Check them out here, here, and here.  They will be having two more scrapbooking shows consecutively at 5 pm and 6 pm Eastern Time.

For you digital scrapbookers, Scrapbook Elements has close-out specials which you can browse through here.  Another favorite of mine, Designer Digitals is having their quarterly sale where everything is 30% off using the coupon code 148694.  This offer expires on May 6th, Tuesday at 7 am ET.  They will also have an all day chat event tomorrow, May 3rd, Saturday where they'll be giving away freebies and other goodies every hour.  Also on Sundays and Mondays, they have 2 items for only $0.25.  If you're reading this on a Sunday or Monday, click here now for that really good deal.

By the way, check out Scrap N' Art Scrapbooking and Papercrafting Ezine's premiere issue by clicking right here.  I have seen it and it's really cool :)  Try submitting some of your work for their September/October issue and take a shot on being published.  For more information, click here.

Chat with you all on my next blog :)

Hello From the Philippines!!!

I'm back!  I guess my body clock's adjusted, and I have no jetlag.  It is really hot in here, and soooo humid.  It's really grand to be with my family again, and it is great to see a lot of friends.
Since I arrived, I haven't really seen a nice scrapbook/craft store.  A little disapointment, but I know I'll see one.  I still have more than 3 weeks.  Yesterday, I went in Papemelroti Store and I saw these thought boxes.  Each box has a different theme.  In the box are 2x2 pieces of paper with nice sentiments and phrases.  The ones I bought are "Have A Wonderful Life", "Fantastic Philippines", "Query", "Query 2" and "Today's Advice". 

These will be perfect for scrapbooking and I already have an idea on how I'll use these on a layout.  I love the box it self - perfect for altering.  I've always liked Papemelroti, because most of their products are hand-made, and they usually use recycled paper.  They actually sell some stuff for scrapbooking too.  I have a feeling I'll have to go to that store again before I go back home.

A few days before my trip, I was able to make a travel album.  I used a different medium for this one.  Instead of cardstock and paper, I used leather, fabric, lace, and a lot of old buttons and antique notions.  I printed the photos on textured cardstock (thanks for the input, Alice!), then I attached all the photos by sewing.  I really love the outcome of this one. 

You can see the album in detail by clicking here.

Also, I was able to make another hybrid layout.  Sorry, I can't write the exact materials I used.  I wasn't able to make a list, and I'm already here in the Philippines.  This is a pretty simple layout, and I love how the bg paper coordinated with the original digital layout.

I guess that's it for now.  I sure miss my planet!  haha!
Till next blog....