Mickey Magic in My Happy Planner Spread

This week’s planner layout is all about Mickey Mouse magic!  I used stickers from the Happy Planner’s Large Icons and Magic Plans Mickey Mouse sticker books - because truthfully, I’m drooling over Spellbinder’s new Say Cheese Mickey Mouse collection. It’s sooo cute! But it’s a little on the pricey side and I’m still deciding if I really want to splurge… so while I think it over, I channeled all my Mickey cravings into this week’s spread!

Now, Mickey Mouse isn’t really my all-time fave, but he is my sister's fave and I grew up with Mickey and the gang literally in our room—those classic plastic wall pop-ups of Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy were part of our childhood bedroom decor. So I definitely have a soft spot for Mickey. He feels nostalgic, familiar… kind of like a little hug from the past that brings out my inner child. Char! But oo, parang ganun na nga.

I did this layout during our Bee Happy Craft Meet with KM and Judy — two of the luckiest people I know when it comes to challenges and raffles. I mean, seriously, always lucky. So I’m hoping a little of that rubs off on me because I also worked on my third Mintay Papers #MintayChildhoodChallenge scrapbook entry for this month. Manifesting the luck! Fingers crossed! Hehe!

Now, no craft day is complete without snacks, right? Today’s foodie while I craftie combo: ensaymada and Spanish Latte. 🧁☕ I discovered this ensaymada a few months ago when a friend brought some over—it tastes like home. That soft, cheesy, buttery goodness just hits the spot - reminds me of Fortune Baker (or Bakeshop?) in Fairview Center Mall when we were young! Since then, I would, from time to time, ask Ton to pass by the place to buy a box after work. This weekend, we even went to the bakery/grocery that sells it and picked out a few more pastries to try. Two out of three were a win—the third, well, we’re still waiting to taste-test!

As for my layout—of course, there’s a big Minnie and Mickey moment front and center.  I also included the sentiments:

 “Create your own kind of magic”

 “Be 100% you”

Honestly, I love how that feels right now. When I was younger, being yourself came with fear—what if people didn’t like the real me? But now that I’m older (yep, we’re saying it), it’s more like take it or leave it, this is me. There’s something so freeing about that.

Oh! One last thing—I’ve been reading about how Facebook/META is suddenly suspending some groups because of a glitch, including one shopping group I’m part of with over 150K members. The owner is devastated, understandably. Sayin that all her years of hard work are now at the mercy of a system glitch. It just makes me appreciate blogging even more. Like what Nikky of Polkadoodles once said:

Social media posts only stay in the feed for a few seconds… but blogs? Blogs are forever. 

So yes, I’ll keep writing, crafting, creating—and yes, snacking. 

If you’re craving a little Mickey joy and planner fun, I hope this inspires you to sprinkle some magic into your week too!

My Happy Place | Altenew #AltenewMess Challenge

I recently came across Altenew’s fun #AltenewMess challenge in celebration of Organization Month, and I thought - why not take this as a sign to take some nice photos of my craftroom, a space I lovingly call my happy place?

This room is actually our second bedroom-slash-guest room-slash-cat room (yes, it wears many hats!), but most importantly, it’s where I create. I can honestly stay in here all day and not notice the hours go by. It’s a cozy little corner of our home that brings me calm, peace, and a whole lot of crafty satisfaction. Though I think the kitchen brings me that too - especially when I cook but I don't like washing dishes so the craft room gets the "fave" room award.

What makes this space even more special to me is how far it has come. When I first arrived here in KSA, all my supplies were stored on the guest bed, and I’d either work at our living room table—or straight up on the floor. Then I got my first shelf. Eventually a proper table. And little by little, this room slowly transformed into the space it is now:

Back in October 2022, when I first arrived here in KSA, my Sizzix Big Shot sat on the bed alongside baskets of dies. Everything else—papers, inks, tapes—was scattered across the dresser with zero organization, no baskets, no storage system… just pure crafty (organized) chaos.

   

 

February 2023 - When we renewed our apartment lease for the year, we decided to “invest” in an IKEA shelf—our first real step toward turning the room into a proper craft space.

  

 Floor crafting at its finest! No table? No problem! When you don’t have a workspace, the entire floor becomes your table. Unlimited legroom, unlimited chaos, and everything within arm’s reach—who needs boundaries when the whole room is your crafting zone? Heheh. But seriously,  floor crafting is fun!

 

In March 2023, we finally got a crafting table! Why?   Well, I was heading home to the Philippines to fix my visa,  and my husband—already dreading the loneliness—lovingly  gave in and said yes to the table. Separation anxiety works  in mysterious (and crafty) ways. Hehehe 

 

Between getting the table and what my craftroom looks like now, I also added two trusty rolling carts to the mix—one from IKEA and another from an online find. Because let’s be honest… once you start organizing craft supplies, one cart just magically needs to turn into two. Plus, every trip back home to the Philippines somehow turns into a crafting haul mission. I always come back to Saudi with a suitcase full of papers, stamps, dies, and “just a few” new supplies I absolutely need.

In May 2023, after a month-long vacation (and visa run) back home in the Philippines, I returned to Saudi with a very special souvenir—my Cricut Maker! The dresser, once home to scattered supplies, was officially promoted to my Cricut Station. Talk about a glow-up! 

Before we added a second table, a second shelf, and those handy boxes to hold my scraps, space was tight. There wasn’t enough room for crafting—let alone a spot for Lucky to hang out. We were both competing for every inch of table space! 

By January 2025, we leveled up! I got a second shelf and   another table to extend my existing setup.  More space = more crafting… and let’s be honest,  more room for new supplies I’ll “definitely use soon.”  hehehe

 

With the longer table, Lucky finally got his wish—he now has a spot on   the table while I craft. It’s a shared workspace now…  though I’m still the one doing all the work!

All of my shelves, tables, roll-away carts, and even my vinyl organizer are from IKEA, and I love how they’re all white—it gives the space a clean, bright look. It was hard using the tables at first because I didn't want to stain them but eventually, the first stain happened and I moved on to the OC-ness that comes with clean and unblemished table. I’m also waiting on dust covers I ordered for my Cricut Heat Press and Mug Press before I finally open and use them. 

Now here’s a fun twist to this “happy place”—the view! Our building faces a construction site with apartment buildings still being built. So, yes, there are often people working just outside my window, especially on higher floors. It definitely makes things interesting, and it means I always need to double-check that I’m dressed decently—especially when the windows are open, which is usually when I take photos of my projects to get that good natural light. And since our building is surrounded by construction, the usual Middle East dust feels doubled—which is exactly why I’m holding off on opening my machines until the dust covers I ordered finally arrive.

Anyway, back to the view - just last week, I looked out and saw a man lounging on the edge of an unfinished window, casually on his phone like he was on a coffee break.  I couldn’t help but snap a photo and send it to my mom with the message: “My craft room view—construction and a man.” Her reply? “Make sure you’re dressed properly—he might be sending a photo to his colleagues saying you’re their view from the construction!” LOL. Classic mom advice, but she might have a point.

 

So yes, my craftroom may share space with a guest bed, a curious cat, and an ever-changing construction view—but to me, it’s perfect. It’s functional, bright, and filled with things I love. I wouldn’t change a thing. And of course, as usual, all of this wouldn’t have come together without my ever supportive husband, who’s been so patient with my ever-growing collection - and somehow always says yes when I tell him, “I just need one more this and that.” 

If you’re like me and love seeing other creatives’ spaces, check out the #AltenewMess hashtag—you’ll find all kinds of setups, from beautifully styled studios to delightfully chaotic desks. And if you’re feeling brave, share your own!

Until next time,

Ana 

From Classmates to Forever: A Scrapbook Celebration of Our Journey | Featuring Cricut’s Print Then Cut and Mintay Papers

I’m writing a blog for this project of 3 scrapbook pages because they recently won a spot in the #GraduationWithCricutMEA challenge! Plus, this lot is extra special - not only because of the theme (and prize), but because these pages made me revisit and preserve our school memories in the most meaningful way - both for me and the hubby.

Page 1: My Graduation Memories

This layout holds a special place in my heart. It features my graduation photos from preschool, high school, and college—images that were once damaged by Typhoon Ondoy in 2009. With the help of prints of photo of these photos, I was able to give them new life through this page, and it truly feels like a full-circle moment. Some of my pre-school photo had smudge marks from the original so I covered it with another photo! hehe! Love, love scrapbooking and creating - because any imperfection can be covered or just passed on as creativity. hehe.

I used the beautiful Mintay Papers Lavender Farm collection for the background, adding depth with chippies, Written Memories die-cuts, and fussy-cut elements from Flora Book 4 Spring and Easter Edition. The combination of soft colors and florals gave the layout a sentimental, almost nostalgic tone—just perfect for this memory.

Page 2: My Husband’s School Journey

I thought it would be nice to create a matching page for my husband too - just a matching page right beside mine in our scrapbook, my way of preserving his graduation photos in my own little way. After all, those old yearbooks might get a little heavy to flip through someday! Although, I think our scrapbooks are kind of getting heavy as well (currently at 3 12x12 albums as of writing).

For his layout, I chose the moodier tones of Mintay Papers Nightfall and accented it with pieces from the Written Memories die-cut pack. They're dark colored so they are a little more manly than the usual Mintay collections. 

Page 3: From Classmates to Soulmates

This page tells my favorite story. 

Six years after a noisy summer PE class—where I intentionally sat far away from a certain guy—I found myself saying yes to being his girlfriend. And then, ten years later, we got married. It’s funny how life works… You never really know when you’re meeting the person you’ll spend forever with. 

For this layout, I wanted it to feel playful and creative, so I dug into my stash of @mintaypapers scraps from various collections and made rolled paper tubes, which I then cut into U and P to represent our alma mater, the University of the Philippines. It added another texture, depth, and made it a bit symbolic—and gave a lot of heart. Another reason why I love our alma mater is because that's where we got married, the UP church for the wedding Ceremony and the UP Bahay ng Alumni for our reception.

Cricut Magic

To bring it all together, I used one of my absolute favorite Cricut Design Space features: Print Then Cut. It’s such a game changer for adding personalized touches—especially when telling stories this meaningful.

This whole project reminded me why I love scrapbooking so much. It’s not just about pretty paper or fun tools (although I do love those!). It’s about honoring the journey, celebrating the milestones, and preserving stories that deserve to be remembered.

Thank you again to Cricut MEA for the fun challenge, and to Mintay Papers for creating collections that help turn memories into art. If you're from the Middle East, have a Cricut and is up to Cricut challenges, join Cricut Family Middle East! They always have fun challenges and the prizes are also great! If you haven't yet, check out my blog post about my Cricut MEA prizes.

Until the next story (and hopefully next win too!),

Ana

One Happy Life – This Week’s Happy Planner Layout

I truly believe in romanticizing your life - finding beauty in the little things and making even the simplest moments feel special. That’s exactly why I’m here, blogging about this week’s Happy Planner layout using the Floral Memories sticker book from Happy Memory Keeping! Hehe 💕

This week, I went with big, bold floral stickers and sentiments that really spoke to me:

“One Happy Life”

“This Moment is all there is”

Such a lovely reminder to stay present and grateful.

Now, if you spot the big sentiment stickers in the corners looking a little… askew—yep, that happened! I was still figuring out where to place them when they accidentally touched the paper. And with these big stickers, once they’re down, they’re down. It happened twice! But hey, that’s part of the charm, right? My crafty friends and I always say, in crafting, there are no mistakes - only happy accidents and I guess that's the same with decorating my journal.

 

 

Also, some exciting news—our Canadian visa got approved! Not quite in our hands yet, but we’re currently on our way to Dammam to leave our passports with VFS. Yep, I’m doing a little blogging while on the road, because that’s a two-hour drive from where we live! 

I’ve been looking forward to August since I first hinted at this in a previous planner layout, and now it’s shaping up to be such a special month—my birth month, a big trip, and so much more to be thankful for.

That’s all for now! Wishing you a joyful and creative last week of June! 

Thanks for being here!

Scrapbook.com Haul – Crafty Happiness Delivered to Saudi Arabia

For my fellow crafters living in Saudi Arabia—or even in the Philippines—where international brands can be hard to find or ridiculously expensive, let me introduce you to one of my new favorite online stores: Scrapbook.com (not sponsored, just really happy with the experience!).

Shipping fee? Reasonable.

Shipping time? Not bad at all.

Product selection? Crafting heaven.

My friend Kaye has been ordering from Scrapbook.com while in Manila, and she usually gets her parcel in about 1–2 weeks. She picks it up from the post office, and despite it being an international shipment, it’s been quite smooth for her. So I thought, why not try it from here in Saudi?

Okay fine, let’s be honest—I’ve been “studying” how different companies ship to Saudi Arabia (hi to my husband if you’re reading this!). But for real, when I first moved here, I struggled to find a legit intense crafting store. Jarir Bookstore became my go-to—it has an arts and crafts section with some international brands like Happy Planner, Stamperia, Cricut, and Copic, but the selection is limited and the prices are high.

They carry a lot of products from Roco, a local brand that looks very similar to Rosie’s Studio (same packaging and all, just different branding). I’ve even compared them—and yes, Rosie’s Studio is actually cheaper even after adding international shipping, as long as you order in bulk to make the shipping worth it.

My Scrapbook.com Experience

• Order Date: May 20

• Estimated Delivery Window: May 31 – June 26

• Actual Delivery Date: June 14 (yay, even with Eid holidays!)

• Shipping Fee: USD $17.79 (approx. PHP 984 / SAR 65)

• Customs/Tax: SAR 56.75 (approx. PHP 851) may be paid via SPL online or at the post office

My package arrived via SPL (Saudi Post), and I received a message saying my parcel was ready for pickup. Even better—it was waiting in a locker, so there was no need to talk to anyone or queue at the counter. Just scan, open, grab, go. 

Was It Worth It?

Absolutely YES.

Aside from the fast and smooth delivery, Scrapbook.com always has great promotions and freebies if you reach certain minimum spends. I initially thought I could only choose one freebie—but nope! I added multiple to my cart based on different spend thresholds and got:

• Scrapbook.com Mint Tape

• Scrapbook & Cards Today Magazine (current issue!)

• Spellbinders ColorWheel Cardstock Collection

Oh, and did I mention I also got 11% off my total from an ongoing promo? It was such a nice bonus!

Final Thoughts

If you’re a paper crafter in Saudi Arabia (or the Philippines!) who’s been hunting for a reliable source of branded supplies, I highly recommend Scrapbook.com. The shipping is fair, delivery is efficient, and the product range is chef’s kiss. Plus, those freebies and promos make the shopping experience even sweeter.

Let me know if you’ve tried ordering from them too—or if you’ve found other crafty online stores that ship reliably to Saudi or the Philippines. I’m always on the lookout for new places to hoard supplies from! hehehe!

Digi Choosday Project | 4th of July Craft Ideas with Polkadoodles

 Ready-to-make Cricut projects featuring star-spangled Polkadoodles charm!

This month, I had the chance to create a couple of fun, patriotic-themed projects for Polkadoodles—and I’m excited to share them just in time for your 4th of July prep! Whether you’re crafting for a party, gift-giving, or simply adding a handmade touch to the holiday, these ideas are perfect for Cricut lovers and digi stamp fans alike.

Project 1: Hat-Shaped Treat Holder

For this project, I created a hat-shaped treat holder using my Cricut Maker and decorated it with the Gnome Men Football USA collection from Polkadoodles. It’s a fun little box that works great for sweets, small gifts, or party favors—and with its patriotic colors, it’s spot-on for the 4th of July and even Father’s Day!

Project 2: Star-Shaped Treat Box

Next up is this star-shaped treat box, also cut with my Cricut and decorated using one of Polkadoodles’ Honeypie. I colored her up in red, white, and blue for a festive twist, turning a simple shape into something extra special for the season.

Planning your own 4th of July crafts?

If you want to create projects like these, check out the Polkadoodles shop for the digis and printable papers I used—perfect for holiday makes, party décor, or just adding some crafty sparkle. I also used alcohol markers, glitter pens and acrylic markers all from Ohuhu when I colored Honeypie.

Want to recreate these projects with your Cricut?

The Design Space project links are below, so you can jump right in and start crafting!

Hat Treat Holder

Star Treat Box

Don’t forget to join in the weekly Digi Choosday Challenge too—it’s a fun way to get inspired and showcase your creations!

Follow me on Cricut Design Space to see more of my shared projects and crafty ideas!

Happy early 4th of July crafting! 

This Week’s Happy Planner Layout: Rainbow Dreams & Washi Mishaps

This week’s layout is… fashionably late. 😅 But better late than never, right?

I reached for my Happy Planner Rainbow Dreams sticker book and paired it with a rainbow polka dot washi tape that’s been in my stash forever. As I was admiring how it’s still sticky after all these years (unicorn magic?), I tore it mid-unroll and realized — sticky, yes… but also brittle. A little fragile, a little fabulous — much like me at the end of laundry and ironing day! 😂

Why rainbow this week? Honestly, no deep reason — Bee Happy’s weekly prompt was Rainbow, and I had zero plans for it yet. So, I figured I’d let the stickers do the thinking for me!

The sticker sentiments I used are little doses of positivity:

Hustle and heart, Always radiate love, Choose happy, Yay yay yay, You go girl, and Stay magical — because who doesn’t need a little pep talk from their planner?

As for life outside the pages:

✅ Post-trip laundry — done!

✅ Card Making Countdown — completed all 14 cards!

✅ Writing mojo — fully activated! Scheduled blog posts for Polkadoodles are rolling out soon, so stay tuned!

Until next week — keep planning, keep crafting, and may your washi stay strong! 

Eid Al Adha in Jordan: A Quick Getaway Full of History, Food & Fun

Day 1: From Al Ahsa to Riyadh to Amman

Our Jordan trip officially began at 3:00am when we left Al Ahsa, our city in Saudi Arabia, for a two-hour drive to Dammam airport. This time, we tried something new — long-term parking outside the airport. It was more than 50% cheaper than airport parking, and thankfully, some friends had tested it before us and gave good feedback. Gotta love those travel tips from friends!

We had connecting flights: Dammam to Riyadh, then Riyadh to Amman. While waiting for our flight at Riyadh airport, we camped out in Terminal 4’s food court. It wasn’t as packed with options, but we grabbed some food from Hardee’s and waited there. I even managed to sneak in some work on a blog post for Polkadoodles while we waited — productivity win!

This was our first time flying Saudia Airlines. Overall, it was a good experience — the food definitely exceeded typical economy expectations. We were given a choice between pizza and a muffin (which they called cake), so Ton and I got one of each to share and try both. They were surprisingly tasty! Though let’s be honest, it would’ve been better if they just gave both to each passenger. Hehe!

As we flew over the region, I couldn’t help but notice — the view from the plane when traveling around the Middle East is so different from our usual flights. Instead of endless blues and greens, it was all shades of brown — desert, sand, and stone stretching as far as the eye could see. Interestingly, the patterns of brown kept changing too — sometimes flat and wide like a canvas, other times rippled or rugged like waves frozen in time. A beautiful kind of rugged, earthy palette.

Arriving in Amman was smooth. As Iqama holders, we were eligible for Visa on Arrival, and it was quick and hassle-free — always a relief after a long travel day.

We picked up our rental car from Budget, which had great online reviews. Spoiler alert: they lived up to the hype! We even got a free upgrade. Off to a great start! (Side note: whenever I say we did the planning, that usually means my husband did it all. I’m just here for the ride… and photos.)

We booked a one-bedroom apartment via Booking.com. It was a self check-in setup — they sent us door codes ahead of time. The apartment was pretty, spacious, and came with a welcome hamper from our host (such a thoughtful touch!). Location was perfect — just a short walk to Rainbow Street, one of the popular hangout spots in Amman. If you’re from the Philippines, think Maginhawa Street in Teachers Village — full of food stops and local charm.

After settling in and freshening up, we headed to our first tourist stop: Amman Citadel. We miscalculated closing hours due to the Eid holiday, so instead of staying open until 10pm, they were closing at 6:30pm. That gave us about an hour, which actually turned out to be enough since the site wasn’t too big. The entrance fee costs JD 3 (or SAR 45 / PHP 675).

At the entrance, a guide offered to take us around. He gave some historical background, showed us Hercules’ Temple, pointed out the Roman theater from afar, and even took a couple of nice photos of us. But partway through, he mentioned his services came with a JD 30 (or SAR 150 / PHP 2250) fee — which felt a bit steep given we were only staying an hour. He was good, no doubt, but we preferred to walk at our own pace and take photos whenever we want, without having to follow a guide.

The views of Amman from the Citadel were stunning! And while it’s a beautiful historic site, if you’ve been to places like Rome, this may feel smaller in scale. The small museum was a nice touch though. Fun fact: there were a lot of couples doing prenup photoshoots — under the hot sun, in full gowns! Mad respect to them!

For dinner, we headed to Taj Mall. It was packed and quite noisy. The stores were pretty much the same as what we have back in Saudi, and being from the Philippines where our malls are massive, Taj Mall felt a bit underwhelming. 😅

Then came a fun twist to end our night — Ton’s Jordanian-Saudi colleague, who actually helped us plan our trip, messaged and invited us to dinner. We met up with him and his wife at Oud AlZein. Beautiful place, good food (even if several items on the menu weren’t available), and great company. We even made plans to catch up again when we’re back in Dammam!

All in all, a wonderful start to our Jordan adventure!