Little Miss Pinay Crafter

The One That's a Bargain!

2012-02-03T14:56:00.000+08:00

Just before the year 2011 ended, the company I work at held a warehouse sale for its employees. These went home with me that day:

The best part was the everything was just P235 (about $5.50)! Yes, all 47 items were just P5 each ($ 0.11)! :)

Have a great weekend ahead of you, lovelies!

The 1st Klasrum Adarna Early Childhood Education Conference

2012-01-27T12:43:00.001+08:00

Thanks to organizations like Adarna House that really respond to teachers' need for quality professional development opportunities, teachers like me have something to look forward to in the summer:

I love their books. I know I'm going to love this conference. I'm especially interested in the Cultural Literacy and Filipino in the Early Childhood Classroom plenary session. I can't wait!!! :)

If you're calling Adarna House to register, look for Anne. She's nice. :)

The One About the File Labels

2012-01-17T10:39:00.001+08:00

What do you do with newspaper clippings, downloaded Internet articles, recipe files that you acquire or collect? A lot of times, these loose papers get stuck in the middle of the pages of a book, moonlighting as a page saver, or it gets thrown away by accident.

To organize them, I got an expanding envelope from the school supplies store...

Then I made alphabet tabs. Yes, I'm resolving to alphabetize my clippings and other loose pages so education articles goes into "E," or that cauliflower soup recipe (while it awaits for its entry into my vintage recipe binder) goes into "C." That way, I can look for them easily, knowing there's just one place to look for them.

And because I'm not one for boring, plain labels, I jazzed them up by using scrapbook paper as background. Nothing like a pop of color to an otherwise boring black expanding envelope.

How fun it is to be crafty and organized! :)

The Ones Which Are Better Than Meatballs

2012-01-11T15:19:00.001+08:00

How do you make baon-making at 4 o'clock in the morning fun?

You play with the food!!!

Hon-some almost freaked out when he opened his lunch. Hahaha!

Happy Midweek, everyone!

The One About New Year 2012 (What We Ate)

2012-01-05T16:27:00.001+08:00

What we devoured with much gusto in the City of Pines...

Army Navy's Starving Sailor, Freedom Fries, and Tortilla Soup

A Korean feast at the Korean Meat Shop and Restaurant

We asked for 6 orders of pork and beef. Then after cooking the meat, we sort of ate it shawarma-style by filling a lettuce leaf with the meat...

salad...which had a lovely hint of sesame oil

and kimchi.

Hon-some ordered rice but he refused to eat it after discovering it was black rice. I was only too happy to eat it for him. :)

Brewed coffee, French apple pie, and chocolate lemon tart at the Hillstation Cafe in Casa Vallejo

Crispy pata at Barrio Fiesta (because it was 50% off!)

We ransacked The Manor's gift package.

Dived into The Manor's breakfast buffet...

Congee

Tuna and potato salad, Caprese salad (but they used local tomatoes), and salad greens which I partnered with crispy bacon

Vegetables, corned beef, garlic rice, and more bacon

A croissant and an egg white omelette. I always asko for egg white omelettes whenever I eat in a buffet. At home, I don't dare waste a good egg yolk.

A waffle with very little maple syrup and loads of butter cream! Still, it was lacking something...

Bacon!!!

Now I'm starting the new year dealing with this glutton guilt.

For stuff we did in Baguio, click here.

The One About New Year 2012 (What We Did)

2012-01-03T09:04:00.000+08:00

For the third straight year, my family and I spent our New Year celebration in Baguio. Hon-some was in tow this time. Here's an account of the things we did:

We stayed at The Manor in Camp John Hay:

Checked out Casa Vallejo (Hill Station Cafe and Mt. Cloud Bookshop, too):

I don't normally like ladders, but I'd climb one if it leads to books.

I still dream about this piece of furniture.

Couldn't resist leaving without a few purchases. :)

Had "alone" time "together" at Starbucks:

Listened to a harpist:

Joined the New Year celebration:

With that, happy new year! Cheers to a blockbuster 2012!

The Ones Among My Children's Book Idols

2011-12-14T10:07:00.000+08:00

This is why I missed last night's company Christmas party...

Award-winning children's book illustrator Hubert Fucio (Si Pagong at si Matsing, Hinlalaki) and multi-awarded children's book author and TV writer Augie Rivera (Alamat ng Ampalaya, Magnificent Benito and His Two Front Teeth, Xilef, Batibot, Art Angel) came by in my MA class to talk about their work and the children's book industry.

I brought my own copies of their books to have them signed.

The first Augie Rivera book I ever read was Xilef and I was blown away by how dyslexia was shown in a children's book. The most recent books I read that were authored by him were Alamat ng Ampalaya and Lihim ni Lea, an incredibly brave account of incest. I particularly enjoyed listening to his stories on working in children's TV shows like the original Batibot under the Rene Villanueva.

Hubert Fucio brought the original illustrations of Si Pagong at Si Matsing and I was struck by his attention to detail.

Weee! Sooo happy! :)

Weekend Tidbits II

2011-12-05T16:16:00.000+08:00

The recent weekend saw us spending a lovely staycation in the Makati area. Some of the weekend's highlights included gorging on our favorite Greek gyro and mashed feta dip and witnessing the light and music show at the Ayala Triangle Garden.

I hope your weekend went just as lovely. Here's to wonderful week ahead! :)

The One About My Craft Loot

2011-12-01T10:27:00.002+08:00

Last week, I found some pocket of time to visit my favorite craft supply store downtown. I was just about to go crazy with all the lovely supplies and the craft ideas that were starting to form in my mind when I told myself to practice some restraint and just buy the essentials.

Clockwise from left: 1. I just mentioned buying the essentials and now I'm starting with an impulse buy! Haha! I spotted this big paper crimper and I just couldn't resist! No more folding paper just so it'll fit in my small crimper! 2. Watching all those Martha Stewart shows have made me long for an X-Acto knife. Glad to have found it finally! 3. This has been another quest for me. I have been searching through sewing suppliers for a rotary cutter that cuts through fabric in vain. Now I can cut straight and non-straight lines with (almost) 100% precision! 4. Now, I just realized I didn't find this in my downtown craft store. I stumbled upon this set of Crayola Fabric Crayons when I went to Bulacan for work last week. 5. Now back to my downtown craft store. I got a set of fabric markers in basic colors. If I had enough moolah, I would have bought all the shades!

I can't think of a way to insert this in this post but...

...I wanted to show how small my old paper crimper was so you can understand (and also so I can justify impulsively buying it!) how ecstatic I am now that I have a biggie! You may remember that I used my baby crimper here.

I can't wait to start using them! Till next time, lovelies!

Weekend Tidbits

2011-11-23T15:25:00.000+08:00

Happy midweek, lovelies! Here's a (late) post on how my weekend was. Hon-some and I, along with my parents, drove all the way to the PICC Forum for the 45th International Bazaar 2011. My mom and I literally went through all the stalls! Here are some of the stuff I got:

I didn't get to find this dried cuttlefish on our trip to Hong Kong last August. I was delighted to find it in the bazaar. The small pack contains some barbecued chicken patties which I got at the Singapore booth. Perfect as Hon-some's baon to the office. Too yucky to take pictures of because I had already placed them in the freezer, I also bought packs of Hungarian and Kielbasa sausages. I'm thinking penne pasta right now...

I also got this four-pack of Bundaberg Lemon Ale. I had my first bottle at Marcia Adams.

I got this soothing pack from a stall which was incidentally owned by a parent from my former workplace, The Learning Connection. I have yet to try it but it appears to be great. You microwave it for 2-3 minutes and it just soothes your sore muscles and aching shoulders. It can also be frozen to be used for fever and burns.

I looked at all my purchases and I thought, "Loads of food stuff and a soothing pack?!?!" No clothes, no pairs of shoes, no bags. I'm such a wife...

After the bazaar, we went to Kanin Club for dinner. We totally heart the Seafood Kare-Kare there so much that it's a staple every time we order. In fact, it's become like a utensil. We have our spoon, our fork, our knife, and our Seafood Kare-Kare. :)

We also had to try their Crispy Pata. The prawn crackers reminded me of Kuya Germs (teehee!).

I hope your weekend was just as fun. Enjoy the rest of the week, lovelies! :)

The One That Was the Weekend

2011-11-08T20:28:00.000+08:00

How was your long weekend, lovelies? Ours was very laidback but eventful just the same. On one of those days, Hon-some wanted to avoid going to the malls and suggested we go to this secondhand goods store (ukay-ukay) nearby. He and I have been wanting to go there for the longest time especially every time we pass by the store and all of the parking slots are filled up no matter what time of day it is. Well, we found our chance (and a good parking slot) last weekend and all I could think of was, "Why did we wait this long before going here?"

You see, the place isn't your typical ukay-ukay. Sure, it has clothes, shoes, and bags but it has also got cool toys and boardgames, Little Tikes play equipment, fishing rods, dinnerware, kitchen appliances, home decors -- all sourced from the USA. You will unearth some good finds, believe me. Take a look...

I was browsing through their book collection without really meaning to buy anything. You see, I'm on a book-buying ban. I've been buying books left and right for some time now and my "To Read" list is really piling up. But when I saw this book, I just couldn't resist. For starters, I don't come across a lot of really good teacher resource books on mathematics plus...

...when I saw these at the back of the book, I knew I had to get it. And at PhP80 (about $1.80), I just couldn't let it go.

I also found this Picture Lotto game for the same price. The store had this entire wall of board games.

When I opened the box, I noticed there were only three lotto cards but all six double-sided boards were complete. I figured I'd just scan the boards, cut the pictures up, use Mod Podge to stick them onto tagboards and then I've got lotto cards!

But these...these are the best finds I got....

SEWING PATTERNS!!!!!

I just couldn't believe my luck! I've been lusting over these for years now because they aren't available where I live and I just found a box full of these patterns at only PhP50 ($1.16) each! I got patterns for baby clothes.

Women's clothes patterns

I don't really make plush toys but these are just too cute to pass up!

Up to this day, I still look at my sewing patterns lovingly. Hahaha! Anyway, Hon-some and I knew that for most people, long weekends are equal to out-of-town escapades. But we're trendy (haha!) so we do staycations. Still feeling thrift-store high, we went to Binondo (Chinatown) that night for dinner. Travel and parking were heavensent!!! We ate at this place we have been missing for so long...

Looks familiar, TLC peeps?

Unbelievably tasty porkchops (and noodles) at Tasty Dumplings!!! Hon-some and I couldn't stop saying "Na-miss ko 'to" as we wolfed down our meal. The porkchops still does cartwheels in our dreams. :)

It's my mom's birthday today so, as an early birthday gift, I treated her and the rest of my family to dinner at Pino along Maginhawa Street in UP Village. We ordered the pica-pica platter which had wasabi onion rings, tofu balls with cream cheese filling, lemongrass skewers, fries, calamari, and longganiza-topped nachos. We also ordered this tasty green salad (I forget the name), Kare-Kareng Bagnet (whose bagoong just melted beautifully into the peanut sauce) and Red Wine Adobong Tadyang. Everything tasted great...so great that I forgot to take pictures! Hahaha!

Anyhoo, to end this post, my long weekend ended with my brother giving me my holiday gift early...

Here's to an even longer reading list!!!

Enjoy the rest of the week, lovelies!

The One About the Halloween Broomsticks Loot

2011-10-31T21:14:00.000+08:00

You cannot imagine how long I have waited to post "got crafty" on my Facebook wall on which this post is linked from! As I have mentioned several blog posts ago, life got in the way of crafting. Right now I'm tickled pink that I'm starting to find my crafty groove back!

My craft comeback post begins with the Halloween Trick-Or-Treat that took place just last Saturday in our village. Children from the village dressed up in their Halloween garb and went trick-or-treating from one house to another. Here are Hon-some's niece and nephews:

Off they go!

Trick-or-treaters come by...

Meanwhile, I got busy making loot bags for Hon-some's niece and nephews. Got the idea from Mareng Martha. I made broomsticks loot bags!

I placed candies and treats in a plastic bag and put the whole thing in a paper bag.

Then I got another paper bag and cut all four sides into strips. I left the base intact and placed the candy-filled paper bag on it.

Another angle

I placed a branch inside the paper bag then gathered up all the strips. I tied all the strips together using a black ribbon.

Then I cut out pumpkin-shaped tags from orange tagboard.

Not bad, huh? It was Hon-some's first time to actually see me crafting (he just used to see all the finished crafts) and he was wowed! Hahaha! Happy halloween!!!

The One Who's Big on Buffets

2011-10-11T16:22:00.000+08:00

I remember going to Yakimix with my family some months ago. We were invited by my Tita Edna and we were really a large group...of eaters! Anyway, the following photos are what I devoured. I guess by now you know how I can really rock buffets. :)

Hot and sour soup

Fruits

Japanese sushi and sashimi

Got these from the grill selections...

...and grilled away!

Hot selections

Got these from the dessert selections. Not really a big fan of sweets but I know bad dessert when I taste one. Blech!

Tuesday is moving too slow, if I may say so myself. Still, I hope yours is going remarkably well, lovelies.

The One About Food and More Food

2011-10-06T14:56:00.000+08:00

I'm still alive! It's been almost a month since my last post. I was preparing for my final thesis defense in my MA program and had to eliminate as much other activities as I could. Sadly, that included blogging and crafting (but not Facebook-ing!!! Hahaha!). Now that it's all over (I passed!) - well, not entirely as I still have revisions to worry about - life seems to be settling into the same old tune it used to sing. Yes, I'm about to start crafting again. I've been hoarding craft stuff all this time, counting the days when I can finally get my hands dirty, burnt, and scathed once again.

Until I finish my craft projects, I shall be bombarding this blog with several ~~overdue~~ food posts. I may not have had as much time for crafts but when nourishment (and an overload of it) comes a-calling, I'm so there.

Some months ago, Hon-some and I and my in-laws went to Chelsea Market at Serendra. The food was hefty, great-tasting, and just superb. Some morsels of the pasta have settled into my waistline -- even to this day.

Complimentary foccacia with Italian bread dip

I forget the name of the dish. It's tempura-ish. There's asparagus, capers, and lemon slices.

That was one mean meatball on top of that mound of pasta!

Burger with blue cheese and bacon with a side of potato wedges. (Don't worry, Burger Project, you're still my favorite!)

Again, I forget the name of the dish but this tasted like chicken. (Hehehe...)

It feels great to be blogging again! Till next time! :)

The One About Jazzy and TLC

2011-09-12T13:10:00.001+08:00

About nine years ago when I decided to enter the job force in ballet flats, toilet-train tots instead of training corporate urbanites, build a playlist of nursery rhymes, and think of 101 ways to teach the letter "S," I found myself ringing the doorbell of a newly-built preschool, calming my nerves for my first-ever teaching demo.

I had prepared a lesson on "Circles" as was discussed previously with the school program coordinators. I had never taught preschool and was still a bit shaky when I introduced myself to a bunch of three-year-olds. Their animated responses put my nervous soul into a relaxed state, only to be revived again when I saw the program coordinator grinning at the back of the class and saying, "Oops, the theme is about 'Circus,' not 'Circles!'" Hahaha! I didn't even realize it even as the teacher was reading a story on clowns. I remember thinking, "Well, clowns have circles on them so my lesson is still on the mark!" Thankfully, I got accepted in spite of that booboo and that anecdote remains to be one of my favorites to tell after all these years.

That began my four-year love affair with The Learning Connection (TLC) Preschool. As much as I had learned so many things from the other schools I taught in after leaving TLC, I always say I had the most fun there. The school espouses the progressive approach to teaching so the students there are generally engaged, active, and happy. One of whom is Jazzy...

TLC has just begun to celebrate their graduates. Click on Jazzy to see how much she has grown and how TLC has been of great help in her development. Every tab of her profile shows just how much TLC has helped her grow in an environment where "learning and fun become one!"

The Learning Connection Preschool is located at 182 Pilar Street, San Juan, Metro Manila, Philippines. You can reach them at 7252300 or 7252400. I'm linking their sites here and here.

Picture-Perfect Thursday: Quotes that Get You Going

2011-09-01T15:28:00.001+08:00

As the week winds down to a close, here are some inspirational nuggets to keep our spirits going...

(Oooohhh, I want this for a nursery!)

Have a good one, lovelies. :)

All images from Pinterest

The One About the Chicken in Pandan Leaves

2011-08-31T15:16:00.000+08:00

When life blasts its dynamism on you, it feels humbling when things begin to normalize and life operates on a smooth pace. I am sometimes known to take on extreme challenges - taking nine units of summer classes then thinking "Where did my summer go?", starting a relationship a month before leaving for Cebu (but look! I married the guy!), writing my thesis drafts with such discipline every weekend in those two years when I was in Cebu - and had always thought that good fortune is with me and that the pressure of it all is simply good. The most recent "extreme challenge" I took on was getting married AND THEN taking on a new job two weeks later. I love being married but I sometimes wish I hadn't taken on an entirely new job just yet. The two just don't mesh well and the new job just took away my "honeymoon aura" to be replaced by corporate stress.

Thankfully, things at work are beginning to normalize. It feels great to be blogging again although I realize I haven't been doing much crafting lately. And that sucks. Big time.

I still have a long list of craft projects that I want to pursue but I just can't yet because my thesis defense is coming up in a month and I'll be needing the entire month to prepare for it and to calm my nerves before I face my panel (shudder!). Until then, for those who are beginning to wonder where the crafts are, soon they will take place.

Cooking has been thankfully very fun for me. My co-workers are all like, "How can you still cook given the time you get home?" or "Isn't it expensive to cook for just two?" My answer to the first is that I look forward to cooking for a hungry husband every evening and cooking just takes all the stress from work away. My answer to the second is no, no way is it expensive especially if you know HOW to cook.

This brings to the recent dish I cooked. I just bought the chicken and pandan leaves. Everything else was in the pantry and the entire dish didn't even ring up to P130.

I made chicken in pandan leaves.

I got the recipe from Yummy magazine. It's super simple to prepare:

For the marinade:

1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 1/2 tablespoons oyster sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 teaspoons sesame seeds

For the sesame sauce:

3/4 cup warm water

1/4 cup tamarind paste (I used a tamarind cube which worked out just fine)

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

1. In a bowl, combine all ingredients for the marinade. Add chicken cubes and marinate for at least 20 minutes or overnight.

2. Wrap the marinated chicken in pandan leaves. Deep-fry in medium hot oil until golden brown.

3. To make sesame sauce: Pour warm water over tamarind paste and let it sit. After 5 minutes, strain the juice and place in a saucepan with the rest of the ingredients. Simmer for 10 minutes. Serve with chicken.

The One About Hong Kong (Part 3)

2011-08-24T10:12:00.000+08:00

Okay, so on our last day in Hong Kong, we began the beautiful summer day with a trip to the Sam Tung Uk Museum. It was nothing spectacular but then again, I like museums. Museums tug at the geek in me. :)

At the museum garden

Kung Fu Panda!!!

This one cracked me up.

Marriage documents

This was my favorite! Early times textile industry!

A wall full of fabrics!

Cotton

Porcelain flasks

Lomo-radio. Haha!

Early times caller ID

After the trip to the museum, we did some last-minute shopping...

After checking in at the airport, Hon-some and I had roast goose for dinner. It was sinfully delish!

Chatime while waiting for our flight.

It has been barely a month since we have been back and we have been wanting to go again to HK. Thankfully, just last Sunday, we were able to score super, super, super cheap tickets from Cebu Pacific! P2000/pax for a roundtrip ticket!!! This time around, we'll be back in Hong Kong when the weather is cooler and people dress better. Can't wait!

Picture-Perfect Thursday: Bookfessions

2011-08-18T13:07:00.000+08:00

I love burying my nose in a good book. My new job has me surrounded by so many books it almost appears to be an answered prayer. Upon a blessing that is serendipity, I stumbled upon Bookfessions, a charming blog that catalogues confessions and thoughts of a certified bibliophile. If you are one too, you may find yourself relating to a confession or two...

This is so true...

Well, my new job gives free books so how's that for a work benefit? :)

You should hear my husband complain about the number of books I buy.

Right now, it's Dex (from One Day).

You don't have to have any.

Gulp!

This is funny! I don't do it, though.

Guilty as charged.

Oh dude, so true.

Again, the husband complains. :)

The One About Hong Kong (Part 2)

2011-08-12T13:17:00.001+08:00

On our second day in Hong Kong, we kicked it off with a half-day city tour. It was my first time in Hong Kong so a city tour was imperative. We were entertained by an animated tour guide named Jacky Leung, and along with other Filipinos, took us to our first stop - the Avenue of Stars.

With Bruce Lee behind me

We also went to Jacky Chan's jewelry factory, food outlets, Victoria Peak, and Aberdeen Fishing Village but I got too lazy to take pictures. When the city tour was finished, we asked to dropped off in Tsim Sha Tsui to burn our pocketbooks. Hahaha! But first, we had to satisfy our grumbling tummies...

Hon-some had the barbecued pork/duck again (I forget which) while I had the roasted Hainanese chicken.

I loved the glistening rice which was cooked in chicken broth.

Deciding which sauce went with the chicken best was too hard to make. :)

Energized, we then hit the shops!

Before going back to the hotel, we stopped by a street food stall and ordered all of these for a song! Hofan noodles, real Hong Kong fried noodles, siopao, egg tarts, and lobster balls!

I wanted to take a closer shot of the Hofan noodle. Whereas in Manila, Hofan noodles are flat and cut up, in Hong Kong, the flat noodles are rolled.

And that was how we spent our second day in Hong Kong - our tummies were at their happiest and our wallets were at their saddest. Haha!

The One About Hong Kong (Part 1)

2011-08-09T16:04:00.000+08:00

Hon-some and I recently jetted off to Hong Kong for our honeymoon. It was my first time to go there and I enjoyed every bit of our stay there. Here are some highlights of our first day in HK:

The Hunger Games was my literary companion while waiting for our eight o'clock morning flight. I'm hooked to it!

Upon arrival in Hong Kong, we were famished so we grabbed a bite at the nearest McDonald's. I have this thing about trying out McDonald's in every new country I visit (not that I've visited lots). Every outlet is like a treasure trove of new greasy goodness!

Like this grilled chicken burger that had a nice spicy kick to it...

Hon-some had been raving about the Big N' Tasty even before we arrived.

After lunch, we checked in our hotel and then right after dumping our luggage in our room, began to explore the city ("Explore," at least for me, since Hon-some has been to HK for countless times already).

First stop was the Hong Kong Stock Exchange building in Central as Hon-some was eager to see it.

Just a stone's throw away is IFC Mall

View from the Star Ferry on our way to Tsim Sha Tsui

We went to this mall at the recommendation of Hon-some's friend and had this heavenly meal: barbecued roast duck for Hon-some and shredded pork and century egg congee for me. The congee was literally SMOKING hot. It was still steaming even until the last spoonful!

Then we walked around 1881 Heritage until our feet hurt that when we got back to our hotel, we were dead tired we decided to forgo dinner and just get some shut-eye.

More on this vibrant city on my next post! I loved every bit of HK on our first day there!

The One About the Five-Star Weekend

2011-08-02T09:06:00.000+08:00

This is a super late post. During the three-day weekend last June, when everybody was going out-of-town, Hon-some and I decided to be trendy and went on a staycation. We booked a room at the Edsa Shangri-La Hotel for some R&R.

That bar of chocolate turned out to be sooooo good! To think I don't really have a sweet tooth!

Free WiFi! All the more reason to stay in!

We walked to Podium at noon and had lunch at Shi Lin.

Salt and pepper squid

This is what we really came here for. Xiao long bao!

Saw this on the minibar when we came back to the hotel

Such a nice touch. :)

At the minibar, it was hot tea for me...

...and, THOSE for Hon-some! Hahaha!

The morning after, we had breakfast at HEAT. The next pictures spell G-L-U-T-T-O-N-Y so brace yourself...

I love egg white omelettes.

Kadiri (yucky) ba?

Just when I was having a hard time keeping all that food down (wooshooo!), we found ourselves here on the last day of our five-star weekend:

Manila Diamond Hotel

But I'll spare you the gluttinous (spelling?) photos until the next post! Haha! Until then!

The One About My New Anthology Ish

2011-07-26T16:15:00.003+08:00

Remember when I drooled over this particular magazine? Look at what has arrived in the mail...

My third issue has arrived!

I can't wait to read it. As I write this, I had just come home and had enjoyed a steaming bowl of hot noodle soup - perfect for the stormy weather. Hon-some is snoring as I type and so I have a pocket of "me" time on my hands. I just want to curl up on the couch with my new magazine.

Endless inspiration awaits...

Things I'm Loving Now (Series 1)

2011-07-15T09:41:00.000+08:00

I have decided to do a new series on things that have caught my fancy. I guess in a way I want to be reminded of things that make my heart skip a beat or at least make me smile. I'm currently reading "Cold Tangerines" by Shauna Niequist and this series is somewhat my take on an "appeal for a celebration."

So here it goes...

I recently bought a bottle of Acca Kappa. Hon-some introduced me to it. I have never taken a liking for perfumes. I have always preferred colognes because I like smelling bagong ligo (newly-bathed) more than smelling like flowers with woody undertones. Before buying this, I have been using Baby Bench colognes which smell lovely. I love Acca Kappa, though. I love how the smell mesmerizes and lingers.

My brother recently celebrated his birthday and he treated us to big, big, big burgers at Charlie's Grind and Grill. I enjoyed their Chili Cheese Fries. Thick wedges of crispy-on-the-outside-soft-and-crumbly-on-the-inside potatoes were smothered - literally smothered - with tasty cheese sauce and spicy chili. Got the photo here.

I have just finished reading "One Day" by David Nicholls and I absolutely love it! I looooooooooove it! I don't usually go for romantic novels but this one is right on the mark. The feeling you get after reading it, I tell you, it stays on. For days. Literally. It's a definite must-read.

I hope the movie version will be just as good. I've liked Jim Sturgess since "Across the Universe."

I have found this to be true: a swipe of red lipstick on a bare face can make you look instantly made up. On weekends when I have to go out and I'm too lazy to put on makeup, I put red lipstick on and it makes all the difference. I'm especially happy because I have been looking for the perfect shade of red for the longest time and I've finally found my perfect rouge tube: Revlon in Crimson.

My wedding ring. Ines de la Fressange of Parisian Chic (another must-read for those interested in French dressing) said it right when she said the only accessory a woman needs to wear is her wedding ring. That alone makes one tres chic!

So that's it for my first series! Hope you enjoyed it, lovelies! Till next time!

Picture-Perfect Thursday: Wicked Randomness

2011-07-14T09:33:00.000+08:00

Here are some images that have brought a smile to my face today...

Moustache pacifiers! Genius! :)

Boob scarves. Now that's just weird...

Oooh...I so want!

Where's Waldo? :)

Neville Longbottom becomes hot! Seriously!

Have a great Thursday! :)

Note: I got the photos here.

Picture-Perfect Thursday: The Sartorialist

2011-07-08T14:24:00.000+08:00

I got hooked on Scott Schumann's blog a couple of years ago. Now, even Hon-some borrows my copy of his book. I love his blog to bits. No other street style photographer comes close (well, maybe Garance Dore, his girlfriend).

Here are some of my favorite looks:

Go drool over at his website!

P.S. Seems I can't post Picture-Perfect Thursday entries on a Thursday. Please bear with me. I've just started my new job and I'm still adjusting to the new swing of things.

The One About My First Bento Box

2011-07-05T20:46:00.000+08:00

I now ~~get crafty~~ play with my food... :)

The One About the Jewelry Bouquet

2011-06-23T21:51:00.000+08:00

When I announced my engagement last year and had received good wishes from family and friends, a lot of them expected that I would churn out a "crafty" wedding, so to speak. Handmade invitations and DIY wedding favors were just some of their crafty expectations. While I have to admit that I am a big admirer of homespun backyard weddings like those in the States, I had to choose between being crafty - and thrifty altogether - and being relaxed and beautiful on my big day.

Creating invitations and wedding favors for about 200 guests would inevitably leave me haggard and so I went with the latter option. Still, I wasn't about to get hitched without being a tad crafty.

Since the start of the engagement, I had been collecting vintage-looking jewelry. Remember this post? I had initially planned on making a entire wedding bouquet out of jewelry. However, when I talked to my florist, the lure of fresh flowers was hard to resist. I'm a sucker for fresh flowers. If I could, I'd buy fresh flowers everyday and nix the room spray.

So my florist and I decided on a bouquet of white roses (which happened to be my favorite) but I asked her if she could include the jewelry "flowers" I had painstakingly made (I still have burnt fingers from the hot glue to show for it). Delightfully, she said yes and this was how the bouquet turned out:

The purple flowers on my bouquet (the big one) were paper and fabric flowers. Can't be seen much in the photo but I beaded some pearls as well and they served as elegant accent pieces.

I happened to make a lot of the jewelry "flowers" so each of my bridesmaids and maid of honor got some in their bouquets as well.

The beaded flower at the bottom is a cocktail ring!

It was like a hidden gift as they could deconstruct the bouquet and use the jewelry after the wedding.

Happy crafting! :)

Picture-Perfect Thursday: Our Wedding Photos

2011-06-15T13:15:00.000+08:00

I know it's only Wednesday but I figured it wouldn't hurt to post a Picture-Perfect post a day earlier than its scheduled posting given that I've been MIA from it for a while now. This week, I'd like to share some images on the day when Hon-some and I took on an adventure that changed the course of our lives - marriage.

The groom

I made sure my little bro wouldn't miss out on this special day. I strung his toy car through a necklace and I held it for the most part of the wedding.

I wore a fascinator/birdcage veil.

With my maid of honor

With our respective parents

Our motif was deep purple and leaf green.

The dinner reception was held at C3 Events Place. Lovely place.

Forever, indeed, began on that day. To bliss and beyond!

The One When I Was MIA

2011-06-10T14:56:00.002+08:00

I know I've been MIA for some time now. I was busy with life, you see. In particular, I was busy getting...

Read that right. I'm officially hitched, officially hypenated. The picture above was our plasma display at our wedding reception.

I'm still caught up with last-minute work requirements before I officially leave my current job to begin a new one and also with sprucing up our humble abode.

Kinda off-tangent but I loved the idea of Prince William and Kate Middleton releasing an official wedding photo...

And because I'm still over the moon (not to mention feeling royalty!), I leave you with ours...

Hahahaha! I know, right?!?!? It was a wedding gift which we loved to bits! Real wedding photos soon, I promise!

The One About the Mother's Day Topiary

2011-05-09T14:25:00.002+08:00

This year, I wanted to veer away from the usual greeting card as my students' gifts to their moms for Mother's Day. Not that there's anything wrong with greeting cards. I just wanted to do something different...

So we made tissue paper topiaries.

You start with a styrofoam ball and glue crumpled tissue paper all over it. Prior to gluing tissue paper, I inserted a chopstick in the ball so the kids can hold it easily.

For the "pots," I used paper cups with foam inside to pierce the chopstick through then hid it with crumpled green tissue paper. Very similar to this.

They even decorated the topiary with decorative punch outs which they simply pinned down into the ball (great fine motor skills activity, by the way) with sewing pins.

Happy Mother's Day crafting!

The One About Cafe Juanita

2011-05-04T13:44:00.004+08:00

My family and I had my post-birthday celebration at Cafe Juanita, a place that has been piquing our interest since it drew raves in the blogosphere for some time now. I knew it primarily served Filipino food. Thing is, Hon-some and I don't really fancy Filipino restaurants. As he says, "If you really want to eat really good Filipino food, you don't go out; you stay in because nothing beats a homecooked meal." Makes sense.

However, my family has been wanting to try Cafe Juanita and so one sunny Sunday, we trooped over to the restaurant to try out their lunch buffet (but of course!).

The restaurant's interiors...

...and the food!

Molo soup (yum!)

Filipino salad (I loved the grilled eggplants!)

First main course (I loved the knotted string beans!)

Second main course (Hehehe!)

Halo-halo

The food was soooo good that I almost threw Hon-some's theory out of the window! Kidding! Seriously, though, if you're too tired to cook at home and are hungry for really good Filipino food, Cafe Juanita may just hit the spot for you. :)

Picture-Perfect Thursday: Keep Calm and Carry On

2011-04-28T13:16:00.005+08:00

Have you chanced upon at least one parody of Britain's World War II propaganda slogan? The internet is brimming with these parody posters and I'm still amused by all of it. For today, I'm posting some of my favorites.

This is the original slogan:

Now here are some of the parodies:

This speaks to me. :)

Great for a nursery! :)

Ehem...

And another "ehem..."

Hope floats...

This shirt is by Spoofs and The Tshirt Project. Funny! Find it here.

This is perfect when I walk down the aisle. Afterwards...

Woohooooooooooo!!!!

I found a website where you can create your own parody poster. Right here. I tried it and this is what I came up with:

What parody would you make? Share! :)

Save for the "Keep Calm and Carry Lang" shirt image and my "Gorgeous" one, I forgot where I found the rest. Sheesh...

The One About the Easter Craft

2011-04-26T14:26:00.006+08:00

Here's a late post (teehee!!!) on a charming Easter craft. Great as a giveaway on your next Easter egg hunt!

I got these cupcake wrappers here and here.

I then wrapped them around some small paper cups. They won't exactly fit but they'll be snug enough.

I cut a sheet scrapbook paper into strips. I was amused with prints-on-prints at this time.

I used tape (or double-sided tape) to attach the strips onto the cupcake wrappers to make small baskets.

Inside the baskets, I stuffed cut up styrofoam. You can also use florist's foam (floral foam? flower foam?).

Then I scrunched up sheets of green tissue paper. Another great idea would be to shred the tissue paper using a paper shredder to make "green grass."

Then I stuck a bunny-shaped lollipop onto the foam and placed some chocolate eggs (Easter eggs) in the basket.

Nice! It makes for a great spring craft as well!

Happy crafting! :)

Picture-Perfect Thursday: Between Real and Unreal

2011-04-07T13:25:00.004+08:00

I saw these insanely genius "real and unreal" art installations over at Anthology. They're made by an artist named Nils Nova.

They're perfect wall dividers! Hahaha!

Have a great Thursday! :)

The One About the Teacher's Stash

2011-04-05T13:25:00.004+08:00

Last year, I made this for my teacher-friends in the "queenly South" where I used to teach. This year, I decided to make a more useful gift for them.

I got some plastic containers (the ones with dividers) and made labels for each.

Each container followed a color scheme: a base color + black + silver.

I filled the box with what I believe to be some of a teacher's necessities in the classroom: paper clips, binder clips, push pins, and chocolates (hard to work with a grumbling tummy!).

This was initially my favorite scheme: white + black + silver...

But then I saw a pack of Hershey's Cookies and Creme Kisses in our house and loved the blue wrapping. I loved how the blue Kisses looked so nice with the yellow paper clips and push pins!

They went conveniently well in the blue container too, especially when I ran out of the silver-wrapped Kisses!

It's so easy to put together and more importantly, teachers would love something like this! Especially if it's one who is overworked, underpaid, and wallowing in dirty school politics *wink*. Hahaha! Happy crafting!

Picture-Perfect Thursday: Anthology Magazine

2011-03-31T13:24:00.005+08:00

I first learned about Anthology magazine from the blog of Daphne Osena-Paez, the only local celebrity I worship. When I visited the website and saw the preview videos of the first and second issues (fantastically made stop motion videos!), I knew I had to get my hands on them. Their website is filled with charming and inspiring images. It's a treasure trove of endless design and style inspiration.

A camera made from cardboard.

Some things aren't what they seem...

Pet portraits

A state of chaos has never looked so pretty...

Green apples in a bowl of concrete (as in concrete!). Who knew?

Lightsaber lamp?

I was falling madly in love with the magazine! Unfortunately at first, the subscription was only open to US and Canada residents so I was searching for family who were based there who could help me out.

Thankfully, a little store in Cubao Expo decided to be the local distributor of Anthology magazines, albeit very limited copies. Once I found out about it, I made a mad dash to Cubao Expo to purchase the magazines.

They've come out with just two issues so far and now I have both of them - for a rather steep price.

Now I'm falling even deeper in love with the magazine.

I'm not in a rush to read them, though. For something so precious as these, I tend to wait for the right moment - some alone time at home, a lovely Italian lunch, a weekend brunch, in a quaint coffee shop. Just like a delicately printed vintage cup of tea, these magazines are to be savored as they are read. Reading them isn't akin to reading Harper's Bazaar (my other guilty pleasure); reading them is a lovely experience in itself.

I'm linking their website here. Lots of inspirational stuff.

The One About the Sneak Peek

2011-03-29T13:49:00.003+08:00

Remember the ambitious project I blogged about a while back?

Remember these?

They're earrings, rings, fabric flowers, and pearls that I said will be put together for my wedding.

Well, here's a sneak peek of how I'm putting them together...

And yes, they shall be held by the hand *wink* :)

Happy crafting!

Picture-Perfect Thursday: Blurred Beauty

2011-03-24T07:10:00.008+08:00

These photos by Cheryl Maeder are so dreamy they almost look like impressionist paintings. I have never considered blurred pictures to be this beautiful...

Enjoy!

Picture-Perfect Thursday: Random Prettiness

2011-03-17T14:04:00.002+08:00

Found some really beautiful photos over at Black Eiffel. Posting them here for their sheer prettiness...

One word: Adorable.

Up house!
If it's from National Geographic, it must be real. (It is, in fact.)

Kate Spade thinks of the most fabulous images.

Following the yellow brick road gets even more confusing.

Google pillow!

An iPad Christmas message

Striped mini

Gingerbread laptop

Have a great Thursday everyone!

The One About Having Your Cake and Eating It Too

2011-03-15T14:14:00.002+08:00

When I visited Cebu International School two weekends ago, I made small gifts for my former nursery students who are all in kindergarten now (How have they grown!). These were just small, simple gifts to show that I still remember them.

I found a cake slice template on the Internet (forgot already which craft site) and made these...

I used scrapbook paper, my bone folder (to score the edges), and regular glue to seal the edges (I forgot to buy rubber cement). And yes, there is a missing piece. :)

I think they turned out okay.

A small slice such as this...

...can churn out a bountiful harvest.

Happy crafting!

Picture-Perfect Thursday: Lovely Package

2011-03-11T14:06:00.003+08:00

Oops! I did it again! Picture-Perfect Thursday is one day late again! This time, though, I totally forgot to upload the pictures. I had them all ready yesterday morning and then the thought of blogging about them flew out of my mind.

Anyhoo, this week, I pay homage to lovely, lovely, lovely (oh, but they really are that lovely) packaging. I'd buy these if only for the packaging.

These are perfume bottles.

The bottles do the deciding for you.

Pasta noodles in really nice boxes.

This puts the "box" in boom box.

Pure happiness

This just made the panettone even more holiday-ish.

70% chocolate, 30% whimsy

Out came the sneaks

Cork has never looked this nice.

These are - would you believe - wedding invitations. In Greek language, there is a saying that uses the term "hang" instead of "marry." So when the father of the bride says, "I will hang you," it means he will tie you with the bond of marriage.

Makeup. I. Drool.

Juice boxes! Nifty! :)

All pictures from Lovely Package

The One About Being Back in Cebu

2011-03-07T14:05:00.006+08:00

Last weekend, Hon-some and I took on a trip back to Cebu -- my first visit after leaving it for Manila two years ago. I've made some really good friends there and it was great to be back!

We arrived in Cebu at 6:00 am from a 4:40 am flight (excited much?). I've been wanting to try breakfast at Hebrews at I.T. Park but it was still closed when we arrived so we ate in Jollibee instead. Hahaha! Everyone knows how fast a Jollibee meal can be consumed and with nothing to do until our 12 noon check-in time at our hotel, we hopped over to KFC and ate some more. Teehee! When we were full, we went to Ayala Center Cebu at The Terraces and had coffee and tea at Postrio.

After a heavy breakfast, we had a light lunch after checking in at the hotel and off we went to Cebu International School where I taught for two years to visit friends and former students (read: nursery students). I'm such a...

My Cebu-based friends and I had dinner that night.

We started the following day late and headed to SM Cebu for lunch at Don Merto's. I got a voucher (I'm such a coupon person!) from Buyanihan for a meal worth P600 and paid only P299!

I had the pork ribs while Hon-some had their bacon cheeseburger.

Mixed vegetable soup

Baked potato to go with my pork ribs

Mozzarella bites with marinara sauce. It was almost finished before I remembered to take a shot of it.

After lunch, we headed to Paradise Village to pay my former landlord a visit. Come dinner time, we met up with my Cebu-based cousin at Maya Mexican Restaurant. I have been wanting to eat here. I just had my birthday and I never really planned a big celebration in Manila because I wanted to splurge (it's pricey kasi) at Maya. I got my wish!

The place screams Mexican with its handblown glass candles and Aztec-looking masks. It's run by those who operate Abaca resort.

Group shot before eating!

Quezo Fundido!

Chicken Enchiladas!

Chimichanga with Carne Asada!

Best Mexican food I've ever tasted!!! I'd go back to Cebu as often as I can just to eat in Maya!!! That won't be a problem much longer, though, because Maya will be opening a Manila branch this year! Can't wait!

On our last day, we spent the morning fixing our stuff and purchasing pasalubong...

100% Belgian chocolate lace cookies from Don Merto's (only in Cebu!)

Cebu lechon
"Best roasted pig in the world" - Anthony Bourdain

Last shot before we leave.

It was indeed great to be back! :)

P.S. Did you notice the sport shirt parade going on? (white, red, orange) Hahaha!

Picture-Perfect Thursday: Working Away

2011-03-03T14:43:00.003+08:00

One photo to sum up how much work I'm swamped with these days: progress reports, lesson plans, supplier bookings, thesis, personal projects.

Thankfully, Hon-some and I are bound for Cebu tomorrow for some R&R and a much-needed escape from the hustle and bustle of Manila. Then again, a trip to Cebu means seeing friends and much-missed former students of mine so that has led me to cram and make gifts for them so...yes, I guess I'm still working away...

Picture from Patterson Maker

Picture Perfect Thursday: At 29...

2011-02-24T15:02:00.003+08:00

How nice that my birthday falls on a Picture Perfect day. Made me think of things I'd like to do or accomplish this year. People who know me well enough know that I'm a list person. I love making lists of everything I can make lists of!

So for this list, here are my "must-dos" as I turn 29...

Sleep early.

Build a vintage books collection.

Learn to bake fresh bread.

Stop and smell the roses (This was much easier to do in Cebu, believe me.).

Hoard beautiful fabrics.

Read loads and loads of books.

Be chic even as I do something ridiculous.

Live life gracefully.

Get married to my best friend.

Appreciate the details.

Own a vintage bike (complete with a wicker basket).

*All pictures are from Patterson Maker.

Picture Perfect Thursday: Random Thoughts

2011-02-17T13:17:00.002+08:00

Today, why don't you...

...sink your teeth into something sweet
(from Skiptomylou)

...hang onto something that inspires you
(from Black Eiffel)

...or hang onto all of them
(from Black Eiffel)

...climb a rainbow
(from Black Eiffel)

...and eat it too!
(from Skiptomylou)

Have a great day! :)

P.S. As always, click on the pictures to view them more clearly.

The One About the Valentine Lollipops

2011-02-14T14:40:00.002+08:00

To add to their candy overload, I made Valentine lollipops for my students.

I found these darling teddy bear lollipop covers here and printed them out.

This is how it looks at the back.

I used tape to seal the edges. If your lollipop is small, using a ribbon to close the edges would look really lovely.

There goes the surprise inside!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Picture Perfect Thursday: Audrey Hepburn

2011-02-11T08:38:00.004+08:00

I'm one day late for posting this. I twisted my ankle yesterday and spent the whole day limping and attending to it. Anyway, I found these really nice Audrey Hepburn wall decals on Etsy. Click on the images to get bigger and clearer pictures.

From touchofbeautydesigns

From twiceasnicelettering

From itswrittenonthewall

This is my favorite! From urbanexpressions

That's it for now! Gotta go craft some Valentine gifts for my students. Enjoy the weekend! :)

The One About Chinese New Year

2011-02-07T14:32:00.000+08:00

In one of our mall trips to check out wedding invitations, TB (or Hon-some as I am wont to call him soon enough -- haha!) and I stumbled upon this wasteland-looking store. A "wasteland" is what a store is called when it entices you to buy loads of stuff you don't really need but you just find them irresistibly cute. A great example is Saizen (or Daiso in Japan).

So anyway, TB and I went in this store that appeared to be nameless and I looked around their stuff and I found myself standing in front of a shelf filled with Wilton products. I excitedly called TB and said, "Look! Just like the stuff in Gourdo's!"

Then TB pulled me to where there were plates, glasses, and other tableware and I realized how strangely similar the plates were to those in Gourdo's. That's when it struck me: we were in the outlet store of Gourdo's!

I couldn't believe our luck! Wilton stuff at discounted prices/buy-one-take-one offers! Party knickknacks at half the price! Pretty, pretty tableware at a fraction of the cost!

Anyhoo, I found these Chinese takeout boxes in their party section and I thought they would be perfect favors for Chinese New Year.

I printed out these "I'm so fortunate to have you tags" here.

I printed them out on sticker paper and then Mod Podge-d them for a shiny finish.

Sorry for the bad pictures. Our house has bad lighting. *sheesh*

I found this darling picture of TB's nephew dressed in Chinese wear and I stuck that one onto the back of one of the boxes.

The idea behind the tag was to put in some fortune cookies but our local grocery ran out and the kids I was going to give these favors to weren't really fond of fortune cookies so instead, I placed rice crackers (more Japanese than Chinese, I know) and gold chocolate coins.

They turned out fine. TB's nephew loved the chocolate and so did the other kid -- TB himself. Hahaha!

Happy crafting! :)

Picture Perfect Thursday: Craft Materials

2011-02-03T14:10:00.000+08:00

I love going through other people's blogs. I never let a day pass without reading the newest entries in my Google Reader. Aside from really unique craft ideas, I especially look forward to blogs that feature pretty, pretty, photographs that serve as inspiration for future craft projects.

The photographs I love are too pretty not to share. Having said that, I will be featuring these beautiful photos every Thursday so that others will get to have a generous helping of craft inspiration as well.

To start off, here are photographs from A Creative Mint of some of the things that define who I am (and this blog)...

Aren't they pretty? :)

The One When the Cake Glittered

2011-01-27T13:29:00.000+08:00

Here's something that has made me happy this morning. Have a great day!

The One About the Ambitious Project

2011-01-24T14:20:00.001+08:00

I have here some shots of some of the things I shall be using for my most ambitious craft project yet. I say ambitious because I'm not really sure if I can pull this whole thing off. I have never done any beading or accessory-making before so if I craft this out right, I can definitely declare that I'm a gifted crafter! Hahaha!

The craft project is wedding-related so I can't really spill the beans yet save for some obvious details that I will be using vintage-looking earrings, rings, and brooches. Oh, and pearls.

Having said that, the outcome (if successful) will be revealed in May of this year when I get married. :)

I might show some sneak peeks, though, as a way of showing progress on this project. I do hope it will be a success. Until then, wish me a good dose of crafting luck! :)

The One When I Proposed (A Tutorial)

2011-01-13T14:09:00.000+08:00

Like many engaged couples out there, TB and I are working within a budget. The nice thing about working within a budget is that it stretches our creativity and maximizes our resourcefulness. Still, we want our wedding to be reflective of us -- nothing pretentious, nothing too frilly. Just simple, down-to-earth, and laid-back...and possibly crafty (or maybe that'd be just me?).

Which brings us to my first wedding-related craft. I wanted to ask my friends and relatives to be part of our special day in the most crafty way. So I made proposal boxes.

I got inexpensive craft boxes and painted them white. After the white pain had dried, I painted purple over it. Then I used Mod Podge as a sealant. If you don't have Mod Podge, you can use a mixture of equal parts water and glue.

I got some silk fabric and cut them into circles of different sizes. Don't worry about cutting uneven circles. They would turn out to be imperfectly perfect.

Light a candle and then singe the edges of the silk circle cutouts until the edges curl up.

Place three circles on top of each other (smallest circle in the innermost). I got a purple button and sewed it through the circles.

Put the circles aside. Meanwhile, I printed the words "Will you be my bridesmaid/maid of honor?" onto cardstock, cut it out, and taped it onto the inside of the box lid.

I cut out another circle using cardstock...

...and snipped around the edges.

And then I folded the snipped edges. I used a cutter to cut a slit in the middle.

I used hot glue to stick the fabric flower onto the box lid and inserted a ring into the slit in the box.

It turned out to be quite a surprise for them -- much like a real proposal. Here's my maid of honor, smiling from ear to ear.

Bridesmaid #1

Bridesmaid #2

Bridesmaid #3 whom I haven't met up with yet but she knows already. :) Ate Lib'z, if you're reading this, your box is still with me. Teehee!

With the proposal over, it's time to get to the nitty-gritty...and we don't have much time! Until then, happy crafting!

The One About the 2011 Printable Posters

2010-12-31T18:04:00.000+08:00

In just a couple of hours, we shall be bidding 2010 adieu and welcoming a new year. I hope 2010 has been kind to you; it sure has been to me.

I am celebrating New Year here in Baguio. The wonderful weather is perfect for sipping a tall Peppermint Mocha. It literally is a holiday in a cup. We are staying here at The Manor and everyone is in a holiday mood from the log cabin ambience to the gingerbread delights at the bakeshop to the wonderful albeit faint smell of pine trees.

I managed to make some printable posters with some words to live by for 2011. Hopefully, one or two will tug at your heartstrings and make an effort to live it out in the new year.

Just click on each poster if you want to print them. Happy New Year everyone! :)

The Ones That Have Kept Me Busy All This Time

2010-12-25T14:12:00.000+08:00

I have been making some homemade goodness this holiday season...

Italian meatballs smothered with marinara sauce for TB's family Noche Buena

Something I crafted in my kitchen for the people I love

I hope everyone's enjoying the holidays! I know I'm enjoying the chilly mornings! :)