sketched out

I found another cute blog. ^_^

sketchedout.wordpress.com

Illustrator Linda Silvestri calls it her "sketchbook"; it's where she shares about the creative work she does. She's got some really cute art in there too.

.

girls talk; what's in my bag

Another fun topic for Girls Talk this Thursday. ^_^


This is my bag. It's a relatively cheap but durable locally-made thing that I bought as a birthday gift to myself two years ago. It's not that big but I can magically squeeze a whole lot of stuff in it.

The secret: I use a bag organizer.


I absolutely recommend every lady to have a bag organizer. It not only keeps your things neat, but it makes it easier for you to switch bags - all you have to do is transfer your organizer.

I have my vanity kit and my wallet of course, which I already shared about in previous posts.


And then I have everything else:


First Row:
Hand sanitizer.
A small pouch.
A travel toothbrush and a toothpaste.
Nivea Caregloss and lip balm (I love Nivea!).
A flask of cologne.
A small tube of lotion.

Second Row:
A bag hook - another practical thing for every lady to have. It's so you don't have to put your bag on the floor or on the back of your seat whenever you go out.
Tissue.
Wet wipes.
Oil control film.
Mirror.
A small case where I keep my allergy pills, Advil and dust mask (because the nasty allergic rhinitis acts up sometimes), and my keys.

Third Row:
A small notebook and pencil.
A book. I am currently reading JRR Tolkien's Unfinished Tales.
A small, compact Bible.
A handy instamatic Camera. I always bring a camera so I can snap photos for my 365 project.

And oh - one very important thing - my cellphone. I was not able to take a photo of it because I left it on my bedroom sidetable.

... And that's about it! :D

Find other Girls Talkers here

at Niko's cute blog,

last weekend's project: gray-tone statement necklace

I'm quite pleased with this necklace I made. It's a statement necklace requested by one of my regular buyers. ^_^


Chunky jewelry, bib necklaces and statement pieces seem to be the in thing for accessories these days. I personally prefer not to wear HUGE celebrity-style statement pieces, but I enjoy creating them.

Making fashion accessories is a hobby of mine. When friends started admiring stuff I put together, I decided to make a bit of money out of it.

I like using stone beads, various natural and man-made crystals, and freshwater pearls. I prefer organic-looking designs over geometric lines, subdued hues over brights.

This particular necklace is a one-of-a-kind design based on an existing piece I made, but especially modified and bulked-up as requested by the buyer. In it are various beads such as gray agate, moss agate, snowflake agate, milky quartz, smoky quartz, Murano foil blown crystals, freshwater pearls, hammer shell, moonstone, metal beads and glass seed beads. I love how it turned out and was tempted to just keep it for myself (hee hee hee - I happen to like the color silver, and freshwater pearls are my favorite kind of beads).

A necklace like this would sell for something like P1,000 to 2,500 at the malls, or P800 to 1,000 at those Muslim ladies' jewelry stalls. But I sell pieces like this for P350 to 550 (depending on the materials used) - and yes, I still manage to make money out of that.

Besides, it's not really about making money for me, but about having fun making pretty things.

Visit my Multiply site:

girls talk: what's in my wallet?

This is my wallet ...


It was a gift from my mother in law two or three Christmases ago.

And these are what's inside it :

• An expired identification card and my SSS i.d.
• Several of my business cards. It's nice to keep them handy.
• A small sewing kit and a few safety pins. I think it's a good idea to carry a sewing kit every time I leave the house. Sometimes there could be emergencies involving hanging hemlines, wayward buttons or surprise rips that need to be fixed.
• My community tax certificate or cedula - I just realized, it's from last year! I didn't get a new one this year, hahaha.
• A bunch of Band-aids. I haven't had the need for them in a while, but it kinda comforts me to carry some in my wallet.
• A forgotten raffle ticket and old receipts.
• A cut-out drawing from a young friend.
• A game card from another young friend.

... And that's it! I hope you enjoyed going through this entry as much as I did working on it. Cheers, everyone!

This was another fun, girly topic at

sponsored by

girls talk: vanity kit

This week's Girls Talk is a lot of fun. ^_^




What's in my vanity kit?

1 - Loose powder and liquid makeup.

2 - Blush and bronzer.

3 - Various eyeshadow. I use a brownish one for the base color / contour shade, and then use the sparkly ones for highlights.

4 - At least two shades of lipstick. I have a lot more on my dressing table, but I only put two or three at a time in my vanity kit. Shown here are my current likes, an almost-nude sheer lipcolor by Clinique, and a darker red stick of an unfamiliar brand.

5 - Mascara and eyeliner. I have a dark-brown Revlon and a black Very Sexy mascara, both gifts from the 'States.

6 - Various tools - a mirror, a brush kit, a nail cutter and file set, eyelash curler, tweezers, sharpener and a tiny flask of perfume.

i am his north star ^_^

Time-lapse photo of the North Star, nicked from ScienceBlogs.

The Hubby told me that I am his North Star. ^_^ And that is definitely a happy thought.

The North Star for centuries now has been Polaris in the constellation Ursa Minor. It's the one at the tip of the handle of the Little Dipper. It is the only star in the sky that stays in a (relative) constant position since it is fixed directly on top of the Earth's North Pole (there is a South Star too, but it is too faint so it is hardly considered). The North Star since time immemorial has been used by mariners and explorers as a reference point to aid them in their journeys.

To be told by the Hubby that i am his North Star - particularly after a trying time, and especially from a guy who isn't very poetic - is not just a sweet thing; it's an honor to know that in his life, I am his constant, his reference point. And of course, it tickles me extra because I'm a geek over stars and deep space objects. ^_^

girls talk: shower loot

I missed a few weeks, so I'm glad to join Girls Talk again this Thursday. This week we're talking about what's in my shower loot: (woot woot!)


Firstly, I love Dove products.

I also have a thing for shower gels. Right now I use a nice lavender one (a gift from a friend) and a rich Napa Grape (sent from an Aunt in the 'States). I make it a point to always have something lavender-scented because it's relaxing. The grape-scented one meanwhile makes me happy; it kinda smells like sweetened red wine.

I'm a sucker for handmade soap - not for collecting, but for actual use.

I also like Palmolive shampoos (I'm allergic to the soap though) and Nivea skin products.

Then I've got a loofah to go with the shower gels.

Lastly, I have a homemade body scrub; I use it once in a while for a "home spa treatment". It's easy to make quite nice on the skin - you should try it, I've posted the recipe for it here. :)

Another fun week of

brought to us by

older lady-friends

I like having girl-friends. Having older lady-friends is an extra blessing. ^_^


A lot of times, it's more refreshing to be with older (not necessarily "old") ladies than hanging out with peers. I learn a lot from listening to their takes on life, marriage, faith and things (Also it doesn't hurt that they have the natural tendency to offer a snack or a meal when we meet ^_^ ).