This foray into scrabble tile craft has taught me so much about patience. Typically, the pendants or charms need at least 3 days to cure or dry. Within this time, it is not advisable to touch, move, or even bump on the table where they are drying. Even blowing on their surface will give you wrinkly tiles. Wrinkly tiles don’t make me happy so I stop myself from picking them up and gushing about how cute they are while they’re still drying.

Patience, you are one tough pill to swallow.

Anyway, here are some scrabble tile goodies I’ve made for friends.

I like taking photos of the finished products so you can probably understand the impatience.

— 0 —

A sweet Book Style post by the Boheme and “magical-moment-capturer” Aiz. Check out her beautiful blog HERE. You can’t help but fall in love with it!

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

“And people laugh at me because I use big words. But if you have big ideas you have to use big words to express them, haven’t you?” – Anne Shirley

Anne Shirley, the witty redhead of L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables is my fictional kindred spirit. Though we do not share the same fiery hair color, nor do I have the same amount of her overwhelming audacity for life, I must say we both have the love for the beauty of words.  She has a certain hopeless romantic feel about her and a tireless courage to speak out in an evocative, and sometimes overly dramatic manner by which consequences is of no importance. To celebrate such a free-spirited character, I find it fitting to give her an ensemble that bespeaks such candor.

A light tunic paired with an organic Raffia hat while taking leisurely walk on a grassy field, where a single light step sends hundreds of wild dandelion rosettes into frenzy, filling up the breezy air like the garden of Hesperides. I imagine the tip of my toes, in this lovely blue sandals feeling the early morning dew. My blue feather earrings seems bouyant as it dances with zephyr, lightly touching my sunkissed cheeks. The plush clouds against the friendly skies serve as my parasols following my every step. The sun makes an occasional peek, its rays glistening against the jewels in my hobo bag. I reach out for my paper and pen, my eyes transfixed on the beauty and the seemingly endless possibilities. It is indeed a good day to write!

—

Seriously, how beautiful is this post? I have realized that these Book Style posts from other bloggers have shown just how weak I am when it comes to writing and styling. *sigh*

I am not jealous; I am inspired! Because isn’t it better to live life with your “eyes transfixed on the beauty and the seemingly endless possibilities” than on wishing that you have someone else’s skills or creativity or taste?

Thank you, Aiz. You made my day when you emailed this to me and I’m sure many of my lovely readers will love this post as much as I do.

Proof:

striped satchel from Gizelle / thrifted original Disney camera bag

These two purchases basically help me strike out two items from my “28 Before Turning 28 on the 28th of April” list.  Buy a satchel? Check. Buy a non-industrial/non-nylon and cute camera bag? Check.

Okay, the Winnie the Pooh bag may not have been a camera bag originally but it is perfect for both the D40 and the Diana Mini.

Another proof:

Alice's Sewing Basket from Threadless / thrifted crafty pigeons top

No ticking items off a list happened after these purchases but really, need I explain more why I love these or how these can be nothing but good things in my opinion?

I work from home and that post is hilariously almost accurate. In other words, if I didn’t have an ounce of shallowness in me or could care less about the way I look, the person behind this blog could very well be the biggest slob you’ve read. Thankfully, I like pretty things and dressing up and making faces to a camera and sewing things I like showing off and all that fun stuff.

I’m not saying I dress up all the time. Do I work in my pajamas? Yes. Do I work without combing my hair? Oh god, yes.  Good thing the dressing up part of this blog is not about “what I bought” or “what brand I’m wearing.” I dress up to highlight things I’ve crafted and thrifted. And when I dress down, I make sure to include crafted and thrifted elements to my outfit as well.

What do I mean when I say dress down? I will not subject you to a photo of me in pajamas and rocking a strange bedhead look so I will give you the next best thing: shorts + shirt/random top + flats.

Examples:

CRAFTED: filigree ring / THRIFTED: lace top / GIFTED: pocket watch necklace from Krissy

CRAFTED: none / THRIFTED: black Esprit bag

Shorts because I live in a tropical country and flat shoes because they are great for walking. Typically, the crafted bits come in the form of accessories because the dresses I sew I save up for dressy days. On some days, I wear skinny jeans. Anything that makes public transportation easy to deal with, really.

“Huh. Not that different from your dressy posts. If you can call THOSE dressy,” you’re probably thinking. Yeaaah…well, I am not of the “life is a runway” persuasion. I belong more to the “comfortable but not dull” party. I mean I try.

How about you? What do you wear when you’re not going to take photos for your blog?

This was the old clock:

it was pretty in a bright non-black (i.e. boring) way

But the recent acquisition of FabriCraft Peel ‘n’ Stick fabrics got me itching to do decor face-lifts around the house. This is the part where I confess about my obsession with beach-themed dining sets and home decor. So imagine my elation when I found a FabriCraft set called Seaside Escape.

The clock was the first “victim.”

used rubberized textile paint for the frame to give the clock that "aged white beach shack" feel

all dry and ready for reloading of battery

Doesn’t it look great with the underwater camera?

there's nothing like midnight crafting, i tell ya

I was not going to let some leftover pieces of FabriCraft go to waste so I gave our small bathroom mirror a beach-y look, too.

——

AGAIN, DON’T FORGET TO JOIN MY GIVEAWAY!

It showed me that people my age (then) had a healthier body image compared to me. Yes, compared to the researcher. Yes, 8 years ago, I was under the impression that I will never have the right (read: body) to wear a pencil mini skirt.

CRAFTED: none / THRIFTED: star print mini skirt

So why the change? Or apparent improvement of body image? I can’t pinpoint a particular reason but perhaps it was the right combination of not watching TV for years, having a sweet boyfriend, losing more weight than I bargained for and happily gaining it back, and being inspired by the most beautiful (read: not print model faux-perfect but undoubtedly beautiful) style bloggers out there.

So the point  of this post: INTERNET > TV. I bet you agree.

——

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, DON’T FORGET TO JOIN MY GIVEAWAY!

— 0 —

Wicked – The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West -  Gregory Maguire

Great Book Style from an equally-great style blogger. Ladies (and gents), I turn the table to Gizelle of Vanilla Ice Cream. She is, perhaps, one of the biggest style bloggers I know who is also from my city. I am always jealous of her thrift finds. When I grow up, I want to be as great a thrift shopper as she is.

On to her Book Style…

One of my favorite book characters is Elphaba of the book, “Wicked – The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West.” The book tells about the life of the deemed wicked witch of the west before Dorothy even landed in Oz and went off to see the Wizard. It tells about Elphaba’s childhood and life as an outcast who is so sarcastically smart and passionate about caring for the people in her life. Elphaba was a rebel, fighting for the rights of the people of Oz against the unjust Wizard. I love how this book created a whole different world that explains and ironically veers away from the image of the wicked witch stamped in our heads as kids. Read the book and the rest of the volumes in the Wicked Years – Son of a Witch and A Lion Among Men and you’ll surely be in for a treat!

– 0 –

I wholeheartedly agree with Gizelle. This book is a must-read. To be perfectly honest, I can recall more scenes from this book than The Wizard of Oz. Of course, that story is pure gem as well.

In an outfit-related note, I think I want the rings Gizelle chose for this Book Style. I’ll sacrifice Homo sapien sapien convenience just to wear that 4-finger skull ring. Very hot.

Thanks Gizelle! This was worth the wait.

——

DON’T FORGET TO JOIN MY GIVEAWAY!

Sometimes, though, chance and thoughts of “I’m sure this will work” can lead to something I can be proud of. This filigree ring is one example:

Of course, for several months, I was under the impression that it was simply a fluke and attempting to make several more will lead to disappointing (and expensive!) results. It took pleading from my cousin to make me make another. A gift for his girlfriend, he said. Seeing that I was going to see said cousin in Manila and it would  have been against my upbringing not to do him a favor, I ordered filigrees online. I had planned to bring only silver accessories to the trip so I included silver filigree to my order.

It turns out that the process was not exactly a fluke.

Making the silver  version resulted to some flakes falling off the filigree but it survived. I daresay that the silver version actually has more impact, especially when my nail polish belongs to the coral family. I made two of the silver filigree rings and sold one on my shop. It was immediately snatched by a friend.

Oh yeah, my cousin’s girlfriend loved the ring so yay!

My cousin and his girlfriend and another high school friend; at the boyfriend's art show in Cubao X.

——

DON’T FORGET TO JOIN MY GIVEAWAY!

If you have not seen The Bounty Hunter, here are some screen captures:

*sigh*

And double *sigh* because I have teamed up with CSN to give one of you a $65 gift certificate (or £65 or €65) to be used in one of their online stores. That’s more than enough to get a pretty lamp or cushion or any home decor straight out of the movie. Something in turquoise or yellow would be total LOVE!

This giveaway is open only to US, Canada, UK, and Germany residents. If the winner is from the US or Canada, a 65-dollar certificate will be given away. If you’re from the UK, you will receive a 65-pound certificate while a winner from Germany will enjoy a certificate amounting to €65.

How to join:

1. Leave a comment with your name and where you’re from. Again, only those from the US, the UK, Canada, or Germany can join.

2. Tell me a beautiful interior design color combo that you love. Mine is white, yellow, and turquoise, as you already know.

Winner will be picked on September 15. That’s 2 weeks from now so spread the news, loves!

Background story: the gray Oxford shoes that the boyfriend bought for me many months ago are starting to fall apart. I wear them any chance  I get because they are just too pretty. They go with everything, too.

Before the trip, I learned that Ichigo Shoes has a stall in Greenhills until September. Greenhills is one of the shopping havens of Manila. Ichigo has the most beautiful Oxford shoes and the plan was to buy a pair that will eventually replace the gray ones I have. Armed with 3G connectivity and determination, the boyfriend and I found their stall in Greenhills. It took us almost an hour because the place is too confusing for tourists. They did not have any Oxford design in my size. (Insert curse + scowl here).

Another plan was to meet up Krissy and Mai for thrift shopping but I already told you how that plan went. Yes, down the toilet.

Fortunately, a good dose of cute (and pink) can make me feel much, much better. Here are the things that generally made the weekend Manila trip worth the expensive cab rides, equally-expensive meals, and plans flushing sadly down the toilet:

bought at cute store #1

bought at cute store #2 (they were on sale, too!)

wearables

bought using the budget I allocated for the shoes

presents from travel-mates and Krissy