8 Photo Scrapbook Page - Let's Celebrate!

We recently celebrated my sister's birthday at my house.  The family got together and ate Mom's cooking.  And to top the night off, I got cupcakes from PinkaBella Cupcakes instead of a cake.  We got to sample most of the cupcakes there!  I can't wait for the next celebration to get another dozen cupcakes!

Whenever I would like to scrapbook more than 3 photos at a time I find it challenging.  But with the help of photo masks or a multi-photo template, I can achieve this feat easily.  The only think I wanted to change on the mask was the size of one photo.  I wanted to spotlight one photo by enlarging it.  The original mask (Masks Volume 3 by Carina Gardner) looks like the photo below and I enlarged one of the photo squares so I could put a family photo in it.  Super easy!

With digital scrapbooking, you have so many options.  This layout uses a smattering of kits from Sweet Shoppe Designs.

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you have a wonderful week!

xoxo

Mo

Scrapping Friends

Ohhhhh, yeah!  Football season.....

I'm not a big football fan really.  But over the years I do love what the season brings.  As a child, my Sundays were full of naps beside my Dad while he watched football.  The sound of cheering fans in a football field actually lull me to sleep to this day.  There's a sense of safety and security I feel on the couch on a Sunday just lounging and napping and eating next to ANY family member.

I love how it brings people together.  The world may be busy the rest of the week but come Sunday, it slows down enough to cherish togetherness.

I scrapped about my dear friends above.  My God daughter is the younger of the two gals.  I love those girls to pieces.  Love love looooove them!  I pulled that collage from my girlfriend's Facebook page!  Yes, they all know they are not safe from Mo's photo lurking!

Thanks for stopping by on this lovely day!

xoxo
Mo

Smooch...Kiss..Swak

Facebook gets a bad rap, I know.  It's just like anything in life, use it wisely and it will be to your benefit.  My family knows this....I frequently poke through their albums, Instagram photos, status posts and find lots of fun events in life to scrapbook for them.  When I can, I'll add any captions from Facebook and add them to the layout as journaling.

I pulled this adorable photo of my niece kissing her Uncle...priceless!  I think I've scrapped quite a few pages and soon (I hope) I'll have the time to print and put them in albums!

This happens to be a digital layout I created for the February 2013 issue of Scrapbook News and Review Magazine.  (As always, all credits are available on my Flickr site, just click on the photo to bring you there).



Baby kisses are truly the best kinds of kisses ever!

And the May issue of SNR has been up and it's awesome!

Get your subscription HERE!

There is much celebrating going on at Scrapbook News and Review!  The magazine is celebrating 5 years, The Art Studio is celebrating 1 year, and there are fabulous new classes to take!

I've got my eye on Donna Salazar's canvas class.  Yessiree!

Join in on our celebration and learn how to enter for a $150 gift certificate drawing HERE.

And enter for a chance to win Pan Pastels HERE.

Have a wonderful day friends!

Oh, and the fun doesn't stop there!



I've got a new YouTube video up.  Watch me make a fun tag with gesso, gelatos, inks and stamps!  I've also got a couple more videos I'm editing and other ideas a-brewing in this peanut head of mine!  In a couple of them I let you see my funny faces and my constant hand-talking...ugh!  I decided to take the plunge and let you guys see me talk once in awhile since I'm feeling more comfortable filming and watching myself.

I've even got some new ideas for video series so I'd appreciate your love and support, likes and comments because my channel is like a ghost town!  LOL!  Tell me what you'd like to see and I'll do it if I can!  Give me some lovin' and help me spread the word!

Hugs,
Mo

Creepy Cool

Hello Hello!  Guess what?  I finally have a non-digi page to show you!  He he!

I created this for one of the newest challenges up at Candy Shoppe Designs called

Ice Cream, Soda Pop, Cherry On Top!

Just scrap about summer and you're good!

I scrapped this photo from our family trip to Hawaii last summer.  It was a weird, rainy, and windy day...but still much better than being in Washington so we had NO complaints!

We spent some time at Pali Lookout.

I love learning about history so reading about the bloody battle that took place here was both intriguing and creepy at the same time.  Basically King Kamehameha I united the Hawaiian Islands.  He would go to the islands conquering them.  On Oahu, he waged a battle against the island's defenders, driving them to this area.  It was a cliffside and the strategy for Kamehameha's soldiers was to drive the native inhabitant fighters over the cliffs, killing them.  The view is spectacular.  There you will also find an artist's depiction of the battle and soldiers being driven, swords in hand, off the cliff.

You definitely have this sort of creepy feeling as you look out onto the island.  As a child I remember many ghost stories.  People definitely try not to stop here at night!

Well thanks for stopping by!  Just whip up a quick layout and link up to CSD!

Ya never know, you could be the next winner!

girls

My favorite kind of girls are the girly girls!
Skirts, pink, hairbows, princess dresses, and fabulous shoes!
That's what little girls are made of!

And these are two of my FAVE girly girls EVER!  My beautiful nieces Presley and London...

Girls by Maureen Esquillo-Kao Credits Digital Kit: Scrap Collaboration Kit Elements by Pink Reptile Designs; Font: Carbon Type by Philip Steffen

Too cute, I KNOW!

My daughter, Isabel is a NOT-SO-girly girl.  She likes pink here and there but prefers to be in jeans and a t-shirt!  Ha ha...but she does have her super-girly moments: bling, girly shoes, hairbows....

How bout you?

Are you GIRLY or NOT-SO-girly?

P.S.  I finally won at Sketchy Thursdays!  Yay!!!  So exctied to play with my cute prize pack from
Vintage Street Market!

Whoooo Loves Ya?

Whoooo Loves Ya? by Maureen Esquillo-Kao Credits Digital Kit: Giggle and Hoot by Digilicious Designs; Ribbon, Staples, Button: Life is Beautiful Kit by Digilicious Designs; Winterbloom Papers by BooLand Designs; Font: Impact by Monotype; Sketch by Heidi Myers for Sketchy Thursdays

I do!!!!!  Our cousins....LOVE THEM ALL TO PIECES!

Just thought I'd make something special for them :)

I used the newest sketch from Sketchy Thursdays!  Too fun!

Do you create layouts for your close friends and family members?

These days, with Facebook, I actually peek through my family members' photos and digitally scrap them!

They seem to love and appreciate it.  Especially when I post it to their wall and surprise them!

It makes them happy, makes me feel good.....sigh.

Did I say how much I love this family?????

You have till tomorrow to play along with this sketch!  Do it now!

Tee Time

Tee Time by Maureen Esquillo-Kao Credits Digital Paper: Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep by Dianna Rigdon, Jessica Sprague; Word Art: Jessica Sprague; Journal Strips: LivE; Overlays: LivE, Jessica Sprague; Stitching: Feedsack by Splendid Fiins; Other: Scallop Border; Photos: C. Kao Photography; Fonts: VTPortable Remington, Cry Kitty

Finally, I can start sharing some creations published in Scrapbook News and Review Magazine!  This digi layout was published in the April Issue.

While I'm on the subject, you should really take a look at the SNR calls!  Looking to get published?

Check HERE!  Check back every month, if June is too busy!  They are always looking for a good variety of projects!  Take a chance!  I'm sure glad I did!

This Tee Time layout was lots of fun to make!  I used a blending technique to get the larger photo integrated into the layout.  I love the different feel of it as it contrasts with the smaller photo.

Hubby loves to golf.  Rain or shine...preferrably NOT raining, though.  That's hard to come by in Washington, I know.  He still has fun.  Speaking of, he's on the course as I type this.

Hubby also just had a birthday earlier in May and we spent the day golfing!  He couldn't think of a better thing to do on his special day.

Boy was it fun.  I totally get the addiction now!  I'm itchin' to hit the driving range today!

Anyway, here's some photos of our fabulous day!

Hopefully this summer I'll have some time to take some lessons!

I'm just happy I can hit the ball at this point...for the most part at least!

Have you tried golf?



Crazy Face!





I was itchin' to create.  As always, Sketchy Thursdays didn't let me down!

Heidi did the sketch this week and it is fabulous...loved it :)  Check it out HERE and play with Sketchy Thursdays.  See what the DT created for your viewing pleasure.

I chose to scrap one of the funny photos from our Disneyland trip.

Little sis makes faces...lots of them.  She's one of those face-makers.  I love it!

This week is full of lots of stuff:  work, meeting, softball game, girlie fun....

It will sure be nice next Wednesday when I start my 5 day stretch of days off!

I'm hoping to get more scrap time in!

As far as scrappy shares go, I'll be able to share the TONS of creations I've done for SNR within the next month or so...stay tuned!  In the meantime, I've done lots of digi pages to get my practice in!

What do ya think?

More Turkey Fun!

Digital Paper: Grungy Grids by Carina Gardner; Winterbloom by BooLand Designs; Mask: Masks v.1 by Carina Gardner; Kraft Label: Jessica Sprague; Journaling Circle: You and Me by Jessica Sprague; Yellow Ribbon: Yesteryear by The Tattered Pear; RicRac: Feedsac by Nisa Fiin; Brads: Tea or Coffee by Miss Vivi; Hand: Scrap by Pink Reptile Designs; Today Journaling Square: Captured by Crisdam Designs; Word Art: Jessica Sprague; Doodle: I Heart Doodles by LiveE; Kraft Journaling Card: Tea or Coffee by Miss Vivi; Font: Georgia; Photos by C Kao Photography

Whenever I get a chance, i try to work on creating a digit layout.

This is the second digi page I've made this week, thanks to Sketchy Thursdays.

This week, they have a double page sketch.  You can do one or both.  I chose the one on the left side.  Take a peek at the fantastic sketch HERE!

I'm cranking out the digi pages...YAY!  I'm hoping to put them all in an album which I can give as gifts for the Holidays!  I can make several copies, so I'm going to save so much time and money!  Digi is so freaking cool!

I've been playing around with masks lately.  I love the collection I purchased by Carina Gardner.  So cool!  It's got this grungy kind of feel.  So fun to play with :)

Thank you for stopping by again!!!!!

Today and Always, Sibling Love

It's so sweet to see siblings hugging on each other!  I used a sketch from Sketchy Thursdays to create a digi layout of my niece and nephew.  I love these photos my brother-in-law took.



Credits: Digital Paper: Brilliant Artistry by SKrapper Digitals, Princesa Paper Pack by Jessica Sprague, Life is Good Paper Pack #1 by Echo Park, XOXO Valentine Papers by Elle’s Studio; Camera: Captured Kit by Crisdam Designs; Bracket Label, Cloud: Spring Dream Kit by Crisdam Designs; Flowers: Spring Fling Elements by BooLand Designs; Tab: Take Flight Digital Dandelions Collab by Christina Smith; Word Art/Title: Echoes of Asia by Jessica Sprague; Borders: Life is Good by Echo Park; Frame: Doodled Bits and Pieces by Crisdam Designs; Lace: Yesteryear by The Tattered Pear; Fonts: Pea Dacia and Pea Jack and Jane from kevinandamanda.com; Sketch: Sketchy Thursdays by Diana Fisher; Photos: C Kao Photography

Don't you just wanna pinch their cheeks! As I type up this post, my kids are screaming and fighting with each other...sigh. One day these two will be doing the same ;)

Destination: Disneyland

Hello Friends!  I hope all is well!  I have several projects going.  It's been quiet on the Mighty Mo blogfront, but I've been creating!  Really I have!

This one's a personal creation, so I can share!

Oh how I love digi!  I plan do make a bunch of pages and put them in photo books for my family.  Now, I only have to create one and it can be duplicated!  Seriously cool!  You REALLY should look into digi my friends!  Ha ha!  I know, I won't shut up about it!

Here we are at the airport, anxiously awaiting takeoff for Disneyland!

Okay, I'm just realizing I'm going to re-titile this: Destination: Disneyland! (Way more exciting.)

I'll have to go in and edit it...takes only a couple minutes and BAM..I'm done!

Most of the items used in this page were freebies or purchased for REALLY CHEAP!

And here's another digi creation I'm going to print and pop into my Disneyland Mini Album.  I'm going to size this down to 4x4 so I can fit all these great photos in my mini which is quickly turning out to be a hybrid one!  It feels like I'm cheating when I'm done with a page!  :)  Too funny.

We were being clowns at the entrance to Disneyland.  Check out my sister and her boyfriend with their prom picture pose (top left corner)!  And my fave is the one of my Dad and Hubby at the bottom right hand corner.

Well, hope you had a laugh.  I sure do everytime I see these pictures!

We had a blast and I'll never forget it!

So how busy has it been for you lately?

Has life speeded up or slowed down?

What plans do you have on the horizon?

Catch me up!

Ninja Master Ally

I tried blogging by email and only got the picture above to post.  Oh well, now I'm back from my trip to California and I'm partly relieved to be back home but missing the sunshine greatly!

As you can see...I FINALLY got to meet my girl Ally!  She is as awesome, sweet, friendly and gorgeous as I'd pictured!  I think my little Gabe has a crush....LOL!  He DEFINITELY likes his girls older!

We met up for din din at Cafe Coyote in what's called Old Town in San Diego!  Love that place!  I had the most gigantic margarita EVER!  Hmmm...no pictures of that...must've been way to preoccupied to take pics!  Excellent atmosphere and service! 

I've got tons more to share!  Trying to get back into the swing of things!  Lots of stuff in the works...I can't believe it!  It's going to be a busy summer!

Hugs,

Mo

InstaLOVIN'!

I read THIS blog post by the Beautiful Elsie, and was quite intrigued.

I'd seen lots of Instagram posts on Facebook and never really understood....

until now.

I am in love.

I am in love with the ease of how it can capture parts of life

you'd forget.  Like today, Monster #1 (aka Baby Girl) and I had a

"Girls Day" out at Starbucks!

Just a couple hours...but it seemed to mean so much to my little angel.

Yesterday I was so happy that Monster #1 and Monster #2 opted for reading

instead of tv.  A proud Mommy Momment, I have to say.

Thank you to the Public Library.

We went back today to pick up a couple books on hold :)

And just because she loves to cheese for the camera, I took another one!

I love how it plays on the imperfection of camera phone photography!

Making sandcastles on PBS website.  He hee!

This is what he made for me.  Muah!

My Facebook status has been riddled with these photos!

I hope my buddies aren't annoyed!  Oh well, I guess they can always unfriend me....

it HAS happened, ya know!  LOL!

What have you been up to?

I've been creating for SNR and am so excited to see the next issue!

If you haven't thought of submitting for publication, you really should!

I am astounded by all the ideas I get from clicking through the magazine.

I've been playing in my scraproom lately and I'm so happy.

Funny how it makes doing chores so much easier....I'm always thinking

"The faster I get this done, the faster I get to creating!"

I play on my own guilt!

I'm deep into my Hybrid class at Jessica Sprague called

Mouse, Paper, Scissors.

It's brought me to some journaling which I quite miss.

Amazing how this prompts you to create.

And this one is from the QuadCamera app which I also enjoy!

I love it when I ask him how his day was at Preschool.

He's so animated!  He's pretty good with recalling events of the day at 4!

I remember asking Monster #1 about Kindergarten and I'd get a blank stare and a

"I don't remember!".

Just goes to show....this one's a WATCHER.

I'm on to you Monster #2!

the goings on...through the hubby's eyes

Just a peek into life through Hubby's eyes.  I raided his Facebook Photos to see what he's taken of the kiddies while I'm at work and I found some cool stuff.

We put Monster #2 in Preschool.

He is enjoying it very much.

It's amazing how much more well-behaved your children are

when you're NOT around!

I have not heard a peep from his teachers about any bad behavior.

Crossing my fingers.

His best friend is my cousin. He he. I love that.

 

Hubby's sweet cousin gave us a gift card and we went to

Chandler's in Seattle.

Hubby's food.  Yummo!

And some photos of my cousins playing Jenga.

They are so adorable!

That FACE!

I'm not sure why my cousin is wearing stripes with those plaid flannel pants!

LOL!

He's usually pretty well put-together!

I've GOT to take more photos with my iPhone!

Sometimes I miss some great things because I'm too wrapped up on how

I don't know where my camera is...

DUH!....My iPhone is usually stuck to my hands!