New Candy + Stitch-less-ness

The other day I was craving M&Ms and learned that you can now personalize them with your own photos and messages! They're having a buy 2 bags, get 1 bag free deal right now. So, I uploaded a few of my Bizarre graphics and this is the sample of what it would look like: How cool is that?! But, I shouldn't be gorging myself on sweets (since I have gestational diabetes). I figured the next best thing for me to do, is to make my own sugar-free candy-coated treats..."digitally" of course! With Halloween just around the corner, you'll enjoy sprinkling your newest Halloween scrapbook pages with these yummy goodies.

Bizarre Candy Pack

Bizarre Candy Word Pack

Bizarre Candy Frames
Bizarre Candy Borders

Not only is Halloween a week away...so is a major milestone for my pregnancy...I'll be 37 weeks prego on Halloween Eve! Therefore, from now up to the day after Halloween I'm offering these new Bizarre Candy Packs for 37% off when you use this special blog coupon code:

bizarrecandy37

Get the Bizarre Candy 4pack instead of the individual packs and save another $1 ;)
Now for me to brag a little. I won a prize from DueMaternity! I never win anything! It arrived Thursday, and I was thinking it was from my friend Adie, but nope. I actually won a gDiaper starter kit (which is perfect because we're going to gDiaper our baby and needed 2 more diapers! Awesome!) That's not all, we also received the newest What to Expect book! Even though we're heading into the home stretch of this pregnancy, this book also has breastfeeding and postpartum info. (layout credit: Desert Botanicals v2 and ck ali's hand font.

layout credit: Desert Botanicals v2 and ck ali's hand font.

So, I want to share with you the 10% savings code they also gave me for being their winner! Here's the code:

MarissaC

This code is valid for a year only on purchases of $25 or more at duematernity.com only.

Oh and I almost forgot to mention, my friends' package finally arrived yesterday from Virginia! What a sweet way to spend my 1st day as a "stitch-less" prego while simultaneously celebrating our 36th week milestone! What a strange feeling to have come this far and to know that there is no longer that tiny stitch holding baby snug inside! Now, we have to let nature take it's course. layout credit: Desert Botanicals v2 and ck ali's hand font.

Well, I've got a couple K-joi Studio Collaboration kits I'm working on, almost time to wrap up the Crop Dreams fundraiser and I have a handful of my own products that I'm scrambling to get up into the store before baby arrives. I have a sneaking suspicion that when baby arrives - I won't have the time of day to do any designing! So, that's all for now folks! Thanks for stopping by. Have a great weekend!

LAST CHANCE!!! for Crop Dreams Charity Kit

Hello Scrappers!

So far, we've raised just $36 USD for Opportunity House. Thank you so much for supporting Mabuhay Project since October ‘08. We'd love, however, to get the donation higher. We have a goal of $200.


So, if you can, we would love it if you could tell everyone about our Crop Dreams Charity kit. If we get the word out to the entire scrapbooking community, we believe we can raise a lot more this last month. This October 2009 is our last chance to make an impact!


Please remember, with your purchase of the full collaboration, you will recieve the Crop Dreams Alpha Set for FREE!

(Yes! I want to support Opportunity House Today with Crop Dreams!)

Crop Dreams Charity Collaboration Kit is packed full of all the essentials you need to scrap a whole bunch of beautiful pages. There is so much in here you will love it!

Crop Dreams includes: 18 gorgeous papers, six awesome 12x12 quick pages, 10 beautiful bracket pages, 7 unique word arts ("flourish", "flourish.thrive.grow", "hip!hip!hurray!", "mabuhay!", "proud of you", "sumisibol", "U Crack Me Up")

and 53 tropical fun elements, including: 1 decorated tri-bamboo frame, 1 tied-branch frame, 1 heliconia flower, 1 plant stem, 1 glittered nipa hut, 1 rice stalk (green, yellow, tan), 1 brown vase, 1 watermelon (as a stamp + sticker), 1 watermelon slice (as a stamp + sticker), 1 multi-colored border, 1 pink flower, 3 different leaves, 1 branch with leaves, 1 nut, 1 stone, 1 knotted string, 1 twisted ribbon (in green + in olive), 1 cluster of water drops, 3 glass bead buttons (flower, leaf, wood), 1 green bullnose clip, 1 tropical clipped cluster, 1 brown leather flower, 1 ripe mango, 1 cluster of painted wooden flowers, 1 stapled olive ribbon, 1 pink sash, 1 string of shells, 1 sash with clustered elements, 1 plain wooden flower, 2 wooden "tsinelas" slipper key-chains, 1 lightwash border 12x12 overlay, 1 mango morning 12x12 overlay, 1 mango traffic jam 12x12 overlay, 1 sticker of a string of sampaguita flowers, 1 sticker of a sampaguita flower cut-out, 1 plumeria sticker, 1 plain brown hut, 4 "gumamela" hibiscus flowers, 1 brown with green striped ribbon, 1 "go mango" tropical cluster, 1 multi-colored "community" of huts, 1 cut-open coconut, 1 "coco flora" tropical cluster (2 styles), 1 fiesta "carabao" water-buffalo head, and 1 leather+wooden flower cluster.

Plus, with your purchase of Crop Dreams Charity Collab, you will also recieve the Crop Dreams Alpha Set for free. Crop Dreams Alpha set includes a natural weave texture and a subtly painted version. It consists of a lowercase alphabet, numbers 0-9 and the following punction { } , ! . ? *You may also purchase just the Crop Dreams Alpha Set here > http://kjoistudios.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=66_75&products_id=2238

More about Crop Dreams: This is a beautiful, fresh collaboration kit originally released in October 2008 in celebration of Filipino American History Month - and will retire at the end of October 2009.  Inspired by the agriculture, nature and island culture of The Philippines, Crop Dreams was lovingly made by several Filipina digital designers from around the globe under MabuhayProject.blogspot.com, to benefit Opportunity House - a Pearl S. Buck Foundation International (www.psbl.org) program that helps children in Asian countries, like The Philippines.

To learn about the designers who collaborated on this charity kit and for more layout ideas please visit http://www.mabuhayproject.blogspot.com/

Crop Dreams Collaborators: 
CACTUSmango Designs - Mars Carranza, Aimee Designs - Ma.Aimee Suarez, Lorie M. Designs - Lorie Manlapaz, Bev O'Loughlin Designs, teysT - Tes P. Tirol and Dianeskie - Diane Mirabeles.

All Proceeds of Crop Dreams and Crop Dreams Alpha set (minus PayPal fees) will be donated online to Opportunity House of the Pearl S. Buck Foundation

International in celebration of Filipino American Heritage Month. Crop Dreams and Crop Dreams Alpha set are for Personal Use Only.


If you would like to donate directly to Opportunity House, please visit http://www.psbl.org/.

Show & Tell

Lorie recently peaked my interest in Altered Aura's blog. She writes very well and I am really enjoying her travel pictures of her visit to Nayong Pilipino-Clark - which has "a theme park environment that showcases Philippine heritage with scale-replicas of various Philippine historic and cultural locations.


"They have a replica of the Banaue Rice Terraces; The Kalinga Houses; a replica of a Barasoain Church; A Kapampangan village; and The Philippine myth and stories of how the world was first populated by humans is also depicted within the walls of these informative exhibits."


"The Nayong Pilipino Park has an outdoor amphitheater, indoor theater, museum, lodging cottages, meditation garden and function room, eventually Nayong Pilipino will become a full-scale cultural center for the arts, both performing and non-performing."
Here are Altered Aura's fun and unique digiscrapbook pages using Crop Dreams
Daydreaming, Sumisibol, and Proud Momma:                    

Please visit her blog WaRpEd & TwIsTeD

to read about her inspiration behind each page

and to leave her your warm feedback.

Lorie's new CT members have been busy creating some fresh new pages too!
"U Crack Me Up"  showing how Crop Dreams works for boys pages and  a wedding themed page called "Mabuhay" by Miranda


We've got two gals "Leona+Lena" and "Jojola" over at kjoi who've made some special pages too!

"Leona+Lena" another Crop Dreams great "boy" page, with her "Two Brothers" layout.

And another page by Leona+Lena called "Smile" a very cute girly page using a QP designed by Tes P. Tirol using Crop Dreams. I think this is the first one I've seen from other scrappers using the QP set. Super cute!

Also we have Jojola who was able to make Crop Dreams work for a winter looking page! It's called Unbenannt:
 
Her 2nd page is brown and lovely...called "Sweet Memories"


I also have a new page to share. You know how convienent it is to snap photos with your cell phone, right? But, how often do you scrapbook those photos?  This weekend I scrapbooked an iphone photo from my friend Kathy.  It's sized 8x8 so she can print it from home.
Princess Slippers

And last but not least, here's one more, that I did a week ago or so...of my little god daughter, called
Sweet Girl.

Thanks for looking and for your continued support of Opportunity House with your purchase of Crop Dreams.
Happy Filipino American History Month + Mabuhay!

Marissa Carranza | CACTUSmango Designs

Crop Dreams

just got lovelier with the addition of Bev O'Loughlin's alpha set! This alpha's natural weave texture and neutral color go perfectly with Crop Dreams and any scrapbook page. Also, included is the same alpha with a soft painted look, using designs by CACTUSmango.



I made a little thank you/intro page for the gorgeous gals of Crop Dreams, with Bev's new alpha and elements from each designers' contribution...

These lovely pages are by Lorie's new CT members, Miranda and Natalie.

by Natalie

Rural Poverty in The Philippines

"About 40 percent of Filipinos live on less than US$2 (€1.28) a day, and about 13 percent — or 11 million — survive on less than US$1 (€0.64) a day." (  ) 1 in 3 people are considered to be living in poverty in The Philippines. (Rural Poverty Portal)

Here is YouTube vid about Poverty in The Philippines, featuring "The Apl Song" by Allan Lindo Pineda of the Black Eyed Peas. 

Another video called "Philippines' children in poverty" by  DAYNYCSFO  has a beautiful song, which lyrics I'm not able to translate completely, but the chorus talks from the point of view of a child that is poor, wanting to play with the kids that go to school, so they can feel like they are also going to school, like normal children.  

There is a part in at the end of the song, that says, "Bata ren ako." (I'm a child too.)  It's a very touching message.  The video blogger goes on to write at the end that "Education is the key to unlock the poverty in The Philippines."  I truely believe this to be true. That is why I was drawn to supporting Pearl S. Buck Foundation International & Opportunity House, because they provide education to the poor.  In a small way, our combined efforts can help one or more of these children.  

So, please, please, please, help Mabuhay Project raise money for Opportunity House, telling your friends and families about the charity collaboration - Crop Dreams.  It is a beautiful refreshing kit, inspired by the agriculture, people and island culture of The Philippines. 

Your donation and all proceeds (minus PayPal fees) will be donated online to Opportunity House.  If you would like to donate directly to Opportunity House, click here.

Thank you for reading about the global issue of poverty.

Sincerely,

CACTUSmango Designs - Blog Action Day Participant
Blog Action Day. What is Blog Action Day? Blog Action Day is an annual nonprofit event that aims to unite the world’s bloggers, podcasters and videocasters, to post about the same issue on the same day. Whose aim is to raise awareness and trigger a global discussion.

One Issue, Thousands of Voices

Global issues like poverty are extremely complex. There is no simple, clear answer. By asking thousands of different people to give their viewpoints and opinions, Blog Action Day creates an extraordinary lens through which to view these issues. Each blogger brings their own perspective and ideas. Each blogger posts relating to their own blog topic. And each blogger engages their audience differently.

Please visit http://blogactionday.org for more information.

Blog Action Day 2008 Poverty from Blog Action Day on Vimeo.

Here is a 4x6 brag book quick page as a thank you for your support. Download it > here <

Also, visit Lorie Manlapaz's blog to download her lovely Crop Dreams 6x4 brag book quick page > here <

Freebie and layout

> Download your copy here <

This is my dear god daughter at her ballet class. I used the "flourish.thrive.grow" word art, because she's growing up so beautifully. I wonder what she's thinking in this picture, hopefully she's just paying close attention to her teacher!

Crop Dreams for Opportunity House

Help Opportunity House with your generous purchase of Crop Dreams today.

Please help spread the word about this worthy cause, by sending this link

http://kjoistudios.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=157&products_id=2060

Please see MabuhayProject.blogspot.com for more details.

Sincerely,

CACTUSmango Designs

&

Mabuhay Project

Friday is the big day

one last sneak peak...

Pinoy Ako!

On October 1st, Barack Obama recognized Filipino American History Month. He wrote,


" Dear Friends,

I appreciate the opportunity to join the Filipino American National Historical Society and its friends in celebrating Filipino American History Month. This celebration is a wonderful opportunity to honor the values and traditions of Filipino Americans, and your role in the story of America.

America’s greatness lies in our nation’s ability to embrace and integrate different cultures into our national character. Filipino Americans nurture and maintain important social, cultural and business ties between America and the Philippines. As you celebrate your Filipino heritage and your American identity, I hope you remain inspired to make our country as great as we know it can be. "

His entire letter can be read > here.

I am very proud of both my American upbringing and my Filipino culture and ancestry. Growing up in California and Virginia, I didn't experience any extreme discrimination. I can recall only twice being discriminated against. One instance, my mother, brother and I were walking to the parking lot from the mall, and a group of teenage caucasian boys drove by in a pick up truck and shouted "Go Back to China!" and drove off laughing. I was too young then, to understand that they were being racist.

A second time, while walking to my first class, during highschool, one African American boy started making fake "asian talk", like "ching chong chee!" all the while with this cocky sneer. This made me mad. I thought, this guy doesn't even know what he's talking about. Even though he was bigger than me and standing with his friends, I walked straight up to him, looked at him - eye to eye and told him "I'm Filipino." He was stunned. He never said a bad thing to my face again.

Several times, when I first moved to the Philippines for college, there were people that told me "You're not Filipino, because you don't speak Tagalog." While I did in fact, know several phrases and words in Tagalog, but not enough to carry on a conversation. I can understand where those nay sayers were coming from. But, at the same time, what do they know about me and my family? When I grew up in Virginia, they didn't offer Filipino language classes and both my parents worked 15+ hour days, running out family owned Lola Lly's Donutery. So, I couldn't blame my parents for not teaching us. Besides, you learn the language that you talk in school, right? I've since learned enough to carry a general conversation in Tagalog. Aside from that, I do my ownl online study of words and phrases, in Tagalog, Ilocano and Pampagueno languages. There are things my parents did teach me, they're values of education, hard work, loyalty to your family and siblings, honoring & respecting your elders, like "mano po". We ate rice with almost every meal (my dad even ate rice with spaghetti! Now that's hard core. lol!) We take our shoes off in the house, to not track dirt on the carpet. My father would often tell me, "Never forget, that you are Filipino, OK."

It's funny now, that I'm an adult, living in Arizona, one of my Fil-Am friends told me quite affirmatively, that "You're not." He said this to me, after I just recounted my story, about how a few people in the Philippines had told me that I'm not Filipino. I was rather stunned, actually, at his comment. I can't recall what I said to him in reply, or if I said anything at all. Well, he's entitled to think that of himself or me. But, I do know myself. I am very proud of my heritage, of my grandparents and parents' lives and hardwork, both here in the US and the Philippines. I am proud of the Filipino and American Veterans that walked the Bataan Death March. I am proud of my brother and sister in law who both serve in the United States Navy.

I am a proud digiscrapping citizen of both the Philippines and America - and that's that! Don't ever stop believing in yourself, in your heritage, and in your dreams. Here's another sneak preview of Crop Dreams. Just one more reveal preview before the big reveal on Friday. ;-)

(click thumbnail for larger view)

I wonder have you ever felt like your culture was not recognized? Do you feel invisible? Do you like blending in? What about the Filipino culture (or the cultures you identify with) that make you proud? Today, I challenge you to scrap about the cultures the make up who you are. Please comment back with a link to your layout.

P.S. I have also created a group on Facebook for Mabuhay Project. Please log on today and join! Find me on Facebook as Marissa Madrazo Carranza.

Filipino Moms has a list of events in San Francisco > blog
SF Gate > http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/detail?blogid=5&entry_id=21024
Asian Americans for Obama > Letter from Sen. Obama

Also, I want to wish Shaui of Fei Fei's Stuff at Oscraps for being in the Designer Spotlight this month. She is a talented Filipina designer based in the UAE.

Here's a page I made using her free template and a Sampaguita Sticker I made for Crop Dreams.
This is called Bad Batz Maru Cupcake and I've submitted it to her 8+ embellies challenge.

My friend Ninette and I had lots of fun making these during a dry run.  The cupcakes were a hit at the Baby Shower too this weekend. I didn't bring a camera that day, so, I'm waiting to get those pictures in.

This is a page I made for her 1st challenge, to use a brush as a mask. Shaui's Crazy Beautiful kit's "portrait of love" word art is perfect for this picture and the use of a brush on the photo really makes the page special. I also added two embellies from Crop Dreams:  painted wooden roses and a "clipped up" embellie.

Thanks for looking!

8 days

and counting...

here's another sneak preview...

Happy Happy Joi Joi!

Happy Happy! Filipino American Heritage Month! Woohoo!

taking a cue from one of my fav bloggers (paislee press), I decided to tantalize you all with reveal previews. In the coming days, we'll get to know the fabulous digital arists that have come out of the woodworks to participate in Mabuhay Project's fledgling collab kit. Three more pinay digi artists who have joined in, so I'm making a new preview once all their goodies are in. Stay tuned these next 10 days for Crop Dreams big reveal - Oct. 10!

And more great news: K-Joi Designer Search is BACK! from outer space and that's a good thing! That means there are now FOUR rounds of FREEBIES gorgeously and lovingly designed by the uber talented contestants, or as they like to call themselves: Joi de Vivre. Here's the links to download, please thank and leave some lovin' on their gallery posts, vote/see past vote results.

Round 1 freebies. Please visit the gallery to thank & leave the contestants your lovin'. Click here for Round 1 Vote Results

Round 2 freebies. Please visit the gallery to thank & leave the contestants your lovin'. Click here for Round 2 Vote Results.

Round 3 freebies. Please visit the gallery to thank & leave the contestants your lovin'. Click here to place your vote > Voting Closes Oct. 6th

Round 4 freebies. Please visit the gallery to thank & leave the contestants your lovin'. Click here to place your vote >Voting Closes Oct. 6th

OH, I made a new banner...it's alright for now. Still haven't made "The One".

Scrapping for a Cause

Scrapping for Charity is has been around for awhile now, but it never fails to inspire anew hope and purpose driven life. I hope that more digital scrapbook designers try to create kits for charity like Songbird Ave, which stands out in my mind. There are many charity kits out there now, like K-joistudios Lupus Awareness Kit and Oscraps Journey of the Heart. It's a beautiful concept, I love it. I heard that it's not easy doing the paperwork side, but I am hoping that by choosing a well known charity that the process goes smoothly, for my first charity kit, Mabuhay!2. I will update everyone on the progress that Aimee Designs and I have on designing the kit and also plans for doing a contest or something fun to promote it. See {cactusmangoGIVES}

If you would like to take part in current available charity kits please visit the inspirational Songbird Ave site where they have their newest offering to benefit “Women in Literacy Initiative” at ProLiteracy Worldwide. This is the gorgeous gorgeous kit created by Leora Sanford:

To purchase this kit, just click on the cream colored Songbird and it will take you to the Songbird Ave site!

I set up a small site called cactusmangoGIVES, where I'll post all my upcoming charity kits.

Currently I am working with Aimee of Aimee Designs to create Mabuhay!2 which will support the APL Benefit, which provides material, education and monetary assistance to specific charities in Asia, including the Pearl S. Buck Foundation and Angeles University Foundation, among others. A big reason why I'm drawn to this benefit in particular, is because I am drawn to what Allan Pineda Lindo, a member of the singing group Black Eyed Peas, has done with his gift of music, fame, etc. He was given a chance through the aid of these charities. Now, he's giving back to the same charities, hoping to help other Filipino kids like him. I am Super touched by his motivation and that he proudly represents both Filipino and American cultures. Two cultures which I myself have been influenced by and am proud of. To learn more about the APL Benefit please visit http://www.ricecookerstudios.com/AplBday_Info_Packet2007REV.pdf

This ties in beautifully with Filipino American Heritage Month, which is when Aimee and I will unveil our collab Mabuhay!2 (it's a remake of my orignial Mabuhay! kit)...So, I was looking for photos today. Photos particularly of Philippines and did a google search for photos of Davao (where Aimee is based) and this is one I came across by photographer >> Keith KP Bacongco <<>> girlpilot << >> slippers <<>

We will release the charity kit this October 2008, in conjunction with the Filipino American Heritage Month. All proceeds, minus paypal fee, will go to the APL Benefit, that supports the Pearl S. Buck Foundation in the Philippines, as well as other charities for Asian communities. For more information and updates on this project visit cactusmangoGIVES at
http://cactusmangogives.googlepages.com/october2008

And again, if you would like to contribute to our Mabuhay!2 kit please leave me a comment here or email me at cactusmango@gmail.com

Thanks & Have a wonderful spring!