Suitcase Explosion Box

I already created projects for "washi tape" and "red and yellow theme" but I had second thoughts about the next theme which is “Explosion Box”. I have never tried making it because I find it complicated and after seeing the explosion box entries, mas lalo ko nagdalawang isip. Hehehe!

But like the quote said “Never be afraid to try something new, because life gets boring when you stay within the limits of what you already know” So I pushed myself to create an explosion box even though it is nothing compared to my fellow crafters. 

The instruction is to create an explosion box for Bee Happy Crafts, one entry already created an anniversary theme so I decided to create something that would represent what is Bee Happy Crafts store to me. 

Looking back, I started my crafting adventure when my husband gifted me a Cricut Maker, he bought my cutting machine at Bee Happy Craft during the pandemic. Since then, I discovered online shopping and I started investing in my hobby. Even though I am an occasional crafter, I started buying craft machines, tools, and supplies. 

And Bee Happy Craft is a big part of my crafting journey, I am thankful to this store for bringing global brands to the Philippines and making them accessible to Filipino crafters like me. It has its own physical store, online store, meron din sa Shopee and Lazada so even though I live outside Metro Manila, I can place my order. 

I feel happy because yung nakikita ko sa Pinterest, slowly nadidiscover ko na kung paano gawin. How I wish, I discovered Bee Happy Craft before, so I can make more DIY and Craft projects during my son’s toddler years. 

Anyway, going back to my project, since this is about store and delivery, I made a suitcase explosion box so it is like a happy mail. I cut the template using my Cricut Maker, print and cut the details, and assembled the box. This is a simple box but it took me 2 days to finish. Waah! I wonder kung gaano katagal ginawa yung mga bonggang box. You can check my first-ever explosion box on Instagram Post for the video.

Read: Crafting Wishlist Explosion Box

3D Be Happy Layered Craft

I just finished my Bee Happy Meal Menu so I thought that is only the project that I will make for “Red and Yellow” theme. But while I was browsing my files, I saw my 3D Happy Sunflower Shadow Box file which I bought a year ago. The sunflower is perfect for yellow colors and I can change the other elements to red color. 

At first, I was having second thoughts because this is a 17 layers project so I am not sure if I have enough cardstock for this so I ended up using smooth, glitter, and mirror cardstock so I can finish the project. 

I reduced the file to 5.4 inches just like my 3D Layered Sea Waves so it would fit my shadow box but after cutting a few layers, I am not getting a clean cut and I wasted a few pieces of paper. So I changed it back to its original size which is 8x8 inches. 

Since this is a 17 layers project, cutting each layer took a long time but I am glad I finished this project. This prompted me to buy a bigger shadow box so I can display my other layered craft like the Heaven’s Gate Shadow Box that I’ve made for All Soul’s Day. 

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Handmade Felt Food Toy

I am done with my Washi Tape Projects so my next goal is to make a craft project using “Red and Yellow” which are both Bee Happy Craft colors. When I read the theme, the first thing that pops into my head is the colors of McDonald’s so I decided to make a “Bee Happy Meal”. I created my own menu and I make sure that the food has a touch of yellow and red. I browsed Pinterest for ideas and templates.

Several years ago, my husband gifted me a sewing machine but I can count on my fingers the projects that I’ve made. And some of my projects like Tooth Pocket, Felt Stuffed Letters and Gingerbread Ornaments na mano-manong tahi so ang sakit sa kamay. So after listing my menu, I already knew that it will take me days to finish. 

It’s been years since the last time I made a felt project so I have very limited supplies but I really want to do this project so I pushed my plan. Thanks to online shopping, nadeliver naman agad yung felt cloth but while waiting for my order, I started cutting and sewing some of the food using my leftover supplies. So for this project, it is a combination of hard and felt cloth. 

My world stopped for few days, wala talaga ko ginawa kundi magtahi and because of that even we had no internet connection for one day, hindi ako nabored kasi busy ako sa pagtahi. So after three days of cutting and sewing, I finally finished my Bee Happy Meal Menu, I even made a gable box using cardstock. 

I felt satisfied after doing this project because it is so cute, parang gusto ko pa nga dagdagan ng nuggets and spaghetti. How I wish, I made this project when my son is still young but I am saving this for my future grandchildren, baka hindi na kaya ng powers ko magtahi sa panahon na yun. Hehehe! 

Washi Tape Project

I planned to continue my Norway series but Bee Happy Craft is celebrating its 11th anniversary and I would like to join their giveaways so I guess, I will spend more of my time on crafting. 

The first theme is “Washi Tape”. This is quite challenging for me because I don’t collect washi tapes so I have very limited resources. The safe project for me is an “anniversary card”, I used washi tape for the background and letters. And I used my Cricut Maker to print and cut the clipart and Sizzix for die cutting.

I initially planned to make a shaker card but for some reason, the washi tape is not moving maybe because I am using photo paper so medyo sticky yung paper. 

Clipart: 

Love Cynthia Digital Stamp 

Cute Crafters Digital Clipart Set - Cricut

Colorful House

I thought I will only submit one entry for the washi tape category but after doing the card and saw my colorful washi tape. An idea pop into my head so I decided to create a colorful house just like the houses in Quezon province during Pahiyas Festival.

It took me two days to finish this project because on my first day and first try, I did not like the result so I was thinking, should I start again or should I just give up. But I decided to do it again from the start so I cut, die-cut, embossed and assembled the house. 

And I am so happy with the outcome, it is much better compared to yesterday. Like they say "In crafting there are no mistakes, it is your own unique creation"

I mentioned before that I don’t collect washi tape but after doing these two projects, parang gusto ko na rin mag-add sa collection. Ang dami pala magagawa sa washi tapes.

Update: May 2023

Prior to joining Weeklies 16, I only use washi tape to tape my dies or paper so it won't move when die cutting or cutting. But after doing my card and colorful house, I never look washi tape the same way again so I started adding washi tape to my crafting supplies. I got my washi tapes within 3 days so I still have time to join Weeklies 16. hehehe!

This project was inspired by "Cath Kidston" pattern so I made a Purse Gift Card Holder and Woman Gift Tag using We R Memory Keepers washi tape, Sizzix  Pearlescent Medium and Ohuhu Markers. 

Travel in the Philippines

Just this morning, I’ve been seeing this Philippines Travel Map on my Facebook and Instagram newsfeed. Several years ago, I also took this kind of test but I couldn’t find my result before. Anyway, I clicked the link and checked my result and as of now, I’m on Level 125. 

It was never my goal to visit all the provinces in the Philippines because of my limited budget so I only visit those places that I am really interested in. According to my list, konti na lang ang gusto ko puntahan, I want to visit Siargao, El Nido, Albay and Dumaguete. 

I highlighted the provinces that I have visited and yung iba nablog ko na rin. 

LUZON 

NCR: National Capital Region 

CAR: Cordillera Administrative Region 

Abra 

Apayao 

Benguet

Ifugao 

Kalinga 

Mountain Province

Region 1: Ilocos Region 

Ilocos Norte 

Ilocos Sur 

La Union 

Pangasinan 

Region 2: Cagayan Valley 

Batanes 

Cagayan

Isabela 

Nueva Vizcaya 

Quirino 

Region 3: Central Luzon 

Aurora 

Bataan 

Bulacan 

Nueva Ecija 

Pampanga 

Tarlac 

Zambales 

Region 4A: CALABARZON 

Batangas 

Cavite 

Laguna 

Quezon 

Rizal 

Region 4B: MIMAROPA / Southwestern Tagalog 

Marinduque 

Occidental Mindoro 

Oriental Mindoro 

Palawan 

Romblon 

Region 5: Bicol Region 

Albay 

Camarines Norte 

Camarines Sur 

Catanduanes 

Masbate 

Sorsogon 

VISAYAS 

Region 6: Western Visayas 

Aklan 

Antique 

Capiz 

Guimaras 

Iloilo 

Negros Occidental 

Region 7: Central Visayas 

Bohol 

Cebu 

Negros Oriental 

Siquijor 

Region 8: Eastern Visayas 

Biliran 

Eastern Samar 

Leyte 

Northern Samar 

Samar Southern 

Leyte 

MINDANAO 

Region 9: Zamboanga Peninsula 

Zamboanga del Norte 

Zamboanga del Sur 

Zamboanga 

Sibugay 

Region 10: Northern Mindanao 

Bukidnon 

Camiguin 

Lanao del Norte 

Misamis Occidental 

Misamis Oriental 

Region 11: Davao Region 

Davao de Oro 

Davao del Norte 

Davao del Sur 

Davao Occidental 

Davao Oriental 

Region 12: SOCCSKARGEN 

Cotabato 

Sarangani 

South Cotabato 

Sultan Kudarat 

Region 13: Caraga Region 

Agusan del Norte 

Agusan del Sur 

Dinagat Islands 

Surigao del Norte 

Surigao del Sur 

BARMM: Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao 

Basilan 

Lanao del Sur 

Maguindanao del Norte 

Maguindao del Sur 

Sulu 

Tawi-Tawi

3D Layered Sea Waves

We only have two seasons in the Philippines, the wet and dry seasons, and as far as I know, the dry season is from December to May so I was really surprised that as early as April, we already have a typhoon. We have no classes today because of Typhoon Amang so it is another long weekend for us pero nasa bahay pa rin.

Anyway, I am joining Bee Happy Weekly Craft Challenge so I decided to create this "3D Layered Sea Waves". I had this SVG file since last year but I was hesitant to make it because I don’t have a 12x12 or 8x8 frame. 

I only have a 6x6 frame so I need to reduce the paper size to 5.4 inches so it would fit the frame. It is really a challenge to cut the footprint layer, nasisira ko kasi yung finger toes sa sobrang liit. So obvious na naiba na yung color ng sand because I ran out of neutral color paper. Hehehe! 

This is a 9-layered craft project and I cut each layer twice to add dimension because I don’t want to use adhesive foam. This project is not perfect but I am glad I’ve made it. 

Are you planning a beach getaway? Check my Batangas Resort list here. 

Holy Week in Norway

Just like that, the long holiday is finally over and the alarm clock is on again. Well, we did not travel last week so I will just share our Holy Week last year. This was our third Holy Week in Norway; we were in Røros in 2017, Oslo in 2019 and last year we were able to visit Stugudalen.

Read: Easter in Norway 

Easter Monday in Norway 

I was looking forward to our Holy Week break because even though we are in Norway, my son has classes so hindi rin naman kami makapagtravel talaga so naghihintay talaga ko ng walang pasok. Unfortunately, the weather was not good so we were stuck at home for the first few days. My son was preoccupied with his project. I’m thankful that my mom has the materials so I was able to save money, no need to buy art materials. 

Anyway, my mom’s sister-in-law has a cottage in Stugudalen and they usually go there every Holy Week so my mom decided to visit so we can meet them again after two decades. We were supposed to stay in Stugudalen but all accommodations were fully-booked. But we still pushed our trip kahit day tour na lang. So we had a last-minute grocery shopping so I can cook Pork and Liver adobo for our potluck. We also took advantage of the Easter Sale so we bought some chocolates. 

Day Trip at Stugudalen and Tydal Nature Park 

Travel time is more than four hours so we left early to catch the first boat trip. No more snow in Ørland but when we reached Stugudalen, parang Winter Wonderland na naman. We also dropped by at Tydal Nature Park on our way home. This deserves a separate post. 

We traveled more than 5 hours on our way home because we did not ride a Ferry so it was a long drive but I was able to see the second-longest bridge span in Norway which is Hålogaland Bridge. 

Northern Lights 

It was a long day for us but I couldn’t sleep yet because according to the Northern Lights forecast, there will be an 83% chance of Northern Lights. This was my second Aurora Borealis experience in Norway and the first experience for my son. 

Easter Sunday 

My aunt invited us for Easter lunch so we eat, play, eat, and play. We also had an Easter egg hunt and I won.