Creating Keepsakes and Cherishing Memories

It’s been almost a week since I hung up the Teacher Ria hat that I wore for almost twelve years. It was so bittersweet to close the door on a career that I had (and continue to, in fact) loved very much. For all intents and purposes, being a preschool teacher was really what allowed me to feel most free, deeply loved and full of joy. To this day I question if it was the right decision, but I believe deep down inside that despite the fear and uncertainty, there is a whole new world of learning, living and loving for me to explore.

It was so timely, I should say, that I was invited to Hallmark/All About Scrapbooking Scrap and Tell Blogger event last Sunday at the Filstar head office in Pasig. It was the perfect ending to my preschool teaching life.

To be honest, I tried to get out of going to the event because I was feeling very nostalgic and sentimental (sige na nga, sad na rin) about having had to say goodbye to being Teacher Ria and I just wanted to spend the day in my room moping and grieving this loss (yes, I think it’s still important to honor that, right?). However, my friend Jeman convinced me —errr coerced should I say! haha — me to come and so I did. Armed with several photos of my days as Teacher Ria, I headed off to the event.

Before the event, the days hosts gave us a brief introduction to what scrapbooking is, and explained the different techniques and procedures involved in the craft. They also showed us all the equipment available for the art of scrapbooking, and although this was nothing new to me, I couldn’t help but still be amazed at how much I still didn’t know about it!

After the demonstration and discussion, we were given our own kits to create our own keepsakes

photo taken by Jeman

Like I said, I thought I already knew how to scrapbook well enough, especially since this is something we often do in the preschool. I learned, however, that I can do so much more, such as how to create more nostalgic effects by rubbing sand paper on the colored sheets of paper to make it look old and frayed. An interesting bit of trivia I learned from the event was when you tear paper towards you, it gives you that “torn” texture to the page that is left behind but if you tear it away from you, it comes out more smooth and does not leave marks on it. Never knew that before!!! Haha.

Suffice it to say the event shoo-d away my sadness about leaving my job and left me with a happier sense of reminiscing the twelve years I spent with so many children, all of whom taught me the essentials in life. I think this says it all:

to love with no questions, to laugh with no fear, to try witout worries...all these i learned in kindergarten

Scrapbooking with Hallmark’s All about Scrapbooking line sure makes the craft so much easier. When I was first doing this for my students portfolios in the past, I had to cut out shapes individually, color them one by one and I wouldn’t have very nice materials for it. Now, it’s so much easier! The kits range from about Php 150-200 and the albums about Php 225. The stickers and accessories range from about Php 25-100, depending on the style, size and material. In my opinion,that’s quite affordable!

Although it may not be appropriate for very young children, kids of about age 7 and up can enjoy scrapbooking with mommies and daddies any time. This will be a fun way for them to create their own memories, not just with the photos they see but also with the journey they take while making these scrapbooks.

For me, that Sunday afternoon was well worth it, even though I got lost trying to find the venue! It made me cherish my time as Teacher Ria a little bit more and it gave me that sweet goodbye as I walk away from the preschool into the bigger world out there, knowing that anytime, I can take out that Scrap and Tell project I made and recall those days with fondness.

My Scrap and Tell Project as posted in the All About Scrapbooking Facebook Page

nicey, right? drop by All About Scrapbooking’s Facebook Page and Like my project!!!

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