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!