
SCRAPFEST 7, 29 AUGUST 2009. so it happened. the much-awaited scrapbooking event in the philippines. and this time I am not just an attendee but a finalist as well. GEEZ. what was I really thinking when I joined last july 26?
I love beyonce. I watched her concert dito sa atin. I even made a layout about it. then a few days before the event, we, the 10 finalists received an email from the scrappinmoms organizers enumerating the initial instructions on the theme to be used for this year’s competition. I was a fan of beyonce until that very day I received the email. I hated the fact that the song, where our layout inspiration should take off from made me hit a solid, blank wall… “if I were a boy”. NAMAN!
okay. so that settled, I asked my bff for a last minute photoshoot (thursday night) at a cheapipay photolab at, would you believe, the ayala MRT station. I needed her indomitable kulit factor to help execute my concept and “direct” the photographer, who turned out to be the branch manager as well! poor guy, he had to sit on the floor just so he can take the shot that I specifically want. but before all that chaos went about, I did show him some pegs for reference. aba, ginanahan ata. ayaw na namin pa-picture, sige pa daw. suuuuure
I didn’t see the actual photo until saturday at noon, when ems handed them over to me. talk about taking risks. I told ems, malimutan na niya lahat, wag lang ang pictures ko.
earlier at the fest grounds, I checked out the participating LSS. bought some new thickers and a couple of possible patterned papers I can use for the idol challenge. we were told to buy materials from at least two LSS, a pre-requisite for all idol finalists. it was a blindsighted purchase, but I was happy with my loot. then it began. we were prompted with the instructions and were given a full four hours to finish each of our entries. saw the challenge kit (ugh.), made peace with its contents and went to work. I said in my last related post that I will just enjoy the process no matter what. I cannot afford to be overtly competitive since I am already three seasons too late anyway. besides, what have I got to lose?
I made a booboo. since my layout base has been 8.5×11 all throughout the competition, I was sooo ready to submit 10 minutes early into the deadline. then BAM! it was supposed to be a 12×12 entry pala! big thanks to my co-finalists who made me realize this. I wanted to give up because I was so tired already. but at the back of my mind, I was knocking myself on the head. andito na ako eh, ngayon pa ba ako susuko? so I used the patterned paper I bought earlier, eyeballed my original layout, pressed some rub-ons and prayed hard I make it to the deadline. tick-tock… last two minutes. photofinish!
the scrappinmoms started introducing the 10 finalists one by one. and using the world-renowned urong-sulong process of elimination, suddenly there were just 5 of us.
middle five, L-R: LG, myself, candy, diane & lee
around this time I could feel my bladder about to explode. I didn’t mean to let everybody know what I was feeling, but when I muttered that I want to pee already, host liza talked back on the microphone! so sige, wiwi break muna
we were back to the cliffhanger after relieving ourselves. and for some reason, the electrolytes I released made me want to just get everything over and done with.
and then we were 3…
these two ladies you see in the picture above, diane and lee, have been awesome since day one. quite honestly, to get this far into the competition was an honor for me already. but it wasn’t meant to end that simple…
* * * WARNING: kenkoy pictures ahead * * *
I bagged the 2009 scrappinmoms idol 3 title!
after my name was called, what happened next were scenes scooped straight out of a real beauty contest: I cried (yuck. there, now you know mababaw luha ko!)), I waved, I did a wee speech, beso, hugs, struck a pose, and had a locked jaw from too much grinning…
my bff ems also won the top prize for the on-the-spot layout challenge!
note that in my post title, I put an open and closed quotation marks to the word idol. it is undeniably a big word and has put me in a fleeting position since the culmination of the event… but I know that there will always be a better, craftier and spunkier scrapbooker out there. I believe with all my heart, that the philippines is a treasure trove of truly amazing scrapbookers. I’d live and die chanting those same words.
for now, I will enjoy the tag “idol” . there’s simply a VERY nice ring to it that I could not resist

















Posted by bjay 
Posted by bjay 
Posted by bjay 






























