Wednesday 26 December 2007

Moiye a "MASTER" !!!!

Well the word is out, so I guess I can now come clean and tell you all. It has been a long wait and I hate having to keep secrets but now don't have to. Best you all go out and buy the latest issue of Scrapbooking Memories - moiye, yes me has been chosen as one of the 10 Masters for 2007. Can you believe it, well I am still coming down to earth myself but seeing in the magazine is making it all seem a bit more real now.... Its all a bit humbling really when you see some of the names of the other Masters chosen - their work is absolutely gorgeous.

The other girls are Fiona Leehane, Julie Heard, Melissa Nunn, Mardi Winen, Maxine Hazebroek, Amanda Hall, Naomi Cox, Melissa Corbett and Kim Nutley.

For those of you who don't get the mag here is my entry but please if you can get the mag as you will see all the other "Master" entries and they are fantastic.

The requirements were:
1. Single Layout with more than one photo (sorry about the photo the flash reflected off the transparency.

2. Double Layout - a story of a special moment or event in your life and why it means so much to you.
You can see the tag sticking out on the right page. This is what was written on it. This trip to the Phillipines is one I will never forget and has instilled values into my life that I want my children to grow up knowing - NO AMOUNT OF MONEY can make us happy. Its all about family, friends and love.
"Sticky hot, humid weather. Traffic out of conrol. Roosters crowing, dogs barking. Children EVERYWHERE, playing yelling, HAPPY. Music blarring, sleeping with mice and rats, living in a shack with 7 people no bigger than my bedroom. No mod cons and eating dried fish and rice for nearly every meal.
I was part of a DISCOVERY team of 7, who were each billeted out to a different family in a slum area of Manila for 3 weeks. I didn’t want this to be just an “EXPERIENCE” but to learn what the ‘poor’ could teach me about life. What amazed me the most was their faith, their SMILES and how HAPPY the children were with NOTHING. At times I thought I was living in a DREAM.
I learnt many valuable lessons that I still refer to each and every day.
• No bought toy is as good as one you can make yourself out of rubbish (my own children now confirm that with empty tissue boxes)
• No toy can replace TIME spent with each other
• A roof over your head doesn’t have to look like something in a glossy magazine. You don’t worry about a mess being made by the kids as a home is there to be lived in. A place where the kids WANT to be.
• Don’t take anything for granted
• Make the most out of EVERY day
• Most importantly - there are many things that are nice to have but not NECESSARY to be HAPPY. (a question that is now asked in our household in regards to any major purchase)
FAMILY and FRIENDS are our most TREASURED possessions.
• God will not put us in any situation we cannot handle (proof of that was me SURVIVING this trip)
What FUTURE have these kids whom I grew to love in such a short time? I have no doubt that they will have grown up learning WHAT REALLY MATTERS - and its not material possessions.
I still catch myself out ‘wanting’ at times and wishing I had more money (as we all do) but who says Im not RICH now - just in a different way.
I may have entered a slum but I left a home.


3. Create a special mini album celebrating who you are. Experiment with the shape of it, the elements inside, colour, content and overall presentation to reflect your personality.
Well for those of you who know me well - there is only one word to describe me - LOUD.... or so people say

4. A decorative storage solutions for your scrapping supplies. This requirement I wouldn't say was easy but I had an idea for a design in my head that I thought may look OK but weren't really sure so after drawing it up, I got the guys at work to cut it out for me. It was exactly what I was after, though I must admit now that we have got it into production at Kaiser we have made a few modifications to the original design. e.g. A lid that opens where you put your pens etc - sometime little things fall down those holes and it is now a lot easier to get them out.

Anyway so there you have it. YES it was a couple of months hard work and a little stress to get in all done in time but now looking at all the prizes (will get pics posted up shortly)definately worth it. Next year girls - you'll have to have a go. So thanks Raqual (Chandon Craft )for having the faith in me that I didn't and giving me that little extra encouragement to enter and to Al who kept believing in me and saying she was working with a "Master" when I just thought she had rocks in her pretty little head. To think I was happy with being shortlisted to the top 100. We often sell ourselves short don't we. Roll on 2008, it will now become a very exciting year.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

FANTASTIC effort Melissa, You really deserve it. Your work is great and an inspiration to all of us Scrappers... Have a great year as a Master..

Kristine said...

woohoo! Congrats on the title - all of your entries are absolutely gorgeous. :)

Raqual said...

Well done. It's such an awesome honor to be a Scrapbooking Memories Master. We are all so excited and proud of you.

Unknown said...

Very impressive Melissa and couldn't happen to a nicer person! :>)
Inspiring, creative and imaginative.
Blessings, Wendy
Looking forward to working with your encouragement in 2008!

Jane Ettia Jones said...

is this the time were I can say "I TOLD YOU SO". Girl I am so very happy for you and happy dancing all over the place. Love and always have loved your work and so happy to see it recognised, straight to the top luv huh LOL. WTG love it all