Change....

Its been a month since my last entry.... I guess I'm really bad at updating my blog :( I still have some reservations on what to put on my blog...my deepest thoughts, my sentiments, exactly what I feel on a certain day. Today is just the same though there are a lot of things going through my mind but I just can't let them all out. *sigh* I don't know..... I came across this quote today and it just struck me....maybe this sums up what I am feeling now but just can say it. I'm into red & black today coz I've been working on a design this morning with these colors.

My Starbucks® Collage Series: #1

April 23 - Dropped off hubby to his job interview somewhere in Makati. Just what I needed...some time alone to update my planner and to jot down my ideas. I found a nearby Starbucks® and I immediately need a sugar rush...not the sugar from the Frappuccino but from the rich & moist chocolate cake!

In between bites of the chocolate cake, an idea popped! I'm going to make a COLLAGE using Starbucks® fliers! I already have images running in my brain of how I want it to look like but I haven't even tried making a collage! Lakas ng loob 'no?! Though I've been wanting to create it (I already have my blank canvas, gesso, Mod Podge for the longest time!), the fear in me kept me from doing it.

So, I sketched it before I lose it in my memory.... talk about memory gap! ;) Finished my cake and went back to my car. No, I didn't take some Starbucks® fliers because I've been collecting them for quite some time now, hehe. Wala lang...I just like the looking at the layout and design maybe someday they might be useful. :)

A week passed by and I haven't done my collage because I was thinking why... why in the world I want to create a collage using Starbucks® fliers eh I'm not even a coffee drinker! Though, I love Starbucks® because it is where my friends and I share stories of our lives, it is my "sanctuary" when I need some time alone to organize my thoughts, it is where my kids, hubby and I share some weekend breakfasts together - so many wonderful memories! But still, I kept asking myself why.

Then came along Bo Sanchez' weekly message...it was about the story of the carrot, egg and coffee bean. When I saw it, I knew I already read the same article shared by a friend some years back. I even remembered (o ha! no memory gap! hehe!) that I posted it on my blog. After reading it again, I knew the reason why Starbucks®...why coffee bean. It will serve as my constant reminder that I should be a coffee bean in this life. I don't have to be a coffee connoisseur exactly, but to be like what the coffee bean becomes after going through the heat (struggles, problems, difficulties in life) and that is, to release my sweetest aroma (to become the best that I can be) after all that I've been through.

May we all be COFFEE BEANS! :)

Sneak Peak

I've been kinda sluggish for the past 3 days. I guess the heat of the summer is kicking in and many times during the day I find myself dreaming and planning where to go and what activities to do. :) Aaahhh, beach, watermelon smoothie (sans the seeds ha!), ocean breeze...this is the life! haha!
Now back to reality...
Here's a sneak peak of the invites I just finished designing and will be working in the coming days. I still have upload the ones I already finished and delivered though.

 

(1) Square invitation in summer color of fuschia & yellow green with a Filipiniana touch; (2) Eco-friendly invitation with real pine tree twig accent reflects the couple's simple yet elegant theme of their wedding;  (3) This is a first for me - working on black & fuschia combination but proved to be really cute - a reflection of the couple's personality.

I finally finished updating the inventory file. And while I was working on it, plenty of ideas & designs start to pop in my head I can't wait to work on them! But for now, I have to deal with boxes of samples lying around in my office for sorting & updating. Argh, the to-do's never end but then I'm not the type of person who will be happy doing nothing (ADHD haha!). :)

On learning SEO and stuff...

I'm trying to learn SEO (search engine optimization) the for the past week since I am planning to update my website (www.handcraftedexpressions.com). I heard about SEO and meta tags but never really got to know the technical part of those terms. While browsing, I came across several websites that featured me and my work. I was surprised because I was not aware of some of them! I am thankful nevertheless because the writers took time in writing and posting my work and that gives me some mileage in Google searches. :) And for that, I am grateful to all of them. Thank you!


Shiela is a budding writer. She just texted me last year asking me if its ok to have my business featured on her website. Of course, that would be great. Thank you, Shiela! :)

Website: The Golden Apple

Ajay's Writing on the Wall 

Annalyn is a former client of mine. I just saw her blog entry a few days ago while browsing and I was surprised that she posted her invitation among her other wedding suppliers. Thanks, Annalyn!

She even had her article published on a newspaper!

The PlanetEye Traveler

Marianne, a Filipina blogger & prolific writer whom I met online emailed me last year if she could write an article about my work. Of course, I said, by all means. :) Thanks, Marianne.

Jemps & Jason's Eco-Chic Wedding

I admire this couple whom I worked with last year. They proved that anyone can have a memorable & chic wedding without harming the environment much more inspiring us and to quote them "Every green choice makes a difference - no matter how small!" Just reading the article about their green steps towards an eco-chic wedding is so inspiring you would want to sign up to Greenpeace! :) Congratulations, Jason & Jemps! Thank you!

Philippine Daily Inquirer

Lastly,  I just learned from my husband that there was an online version of the Business Friday article about me. I *heart* this one because it captured everything that is me and to think it was just a serendipitous meeting with Madonna, the writer. The one I posted almost 3 years ago was a scanned image. Thank you, Madonna.

Masigasig Magazine
Ms. Prime S. and I met when we shoot the video of Kumikitang Kabuhayan years ago. Then she went on to become the editor for Masigasig Magazine of Globe Telecom. Thanks, Prime! 

I am just a small business owner. I cannot afford to have paid advertisements/write-ups on the magazines & newspaper. Its my passion that fuels me to stay in the business. Its more than the money and I thank these people who saw that passion in me and took time to acknowledge it and they do it for free! THANKS TO ALL OF YOU!
Now, who says nothing is free in this world?

Thanks Alvin & Sab...

I've been busy for the past weeks I hardly have time to update my blog. So many on my to-do lists (with "s" since I have a separate list for personal, business, plans -phew!) BUT I cannot let this pass. It just made my day. :)

Hi Airees! Long time. Hope all is well with you and your family. Just want to tell you na you can check out the picture of the invite you made for us at http://www.joelfrancisco.com.ph/blog/. Thanks so much for being part of our special day. Take care always! Sab

Thanks, Sab & Alvin! It was an honour for me to work with you. God bless you always. :) *hugs*

Here's the photo courtesy of Joel Francisco. If only we can get married again, I would love to hire him as our photographer! :)

2009 - The year that was...

Its been quite a long time since I last posted here. A lot of things happened the past year worth blogging here but I just didn't have so much time left to do it. Work (or what I call my passion) and family top the list and 2009 just went by! I didn't even had the time to wrap gifts much more make handmade gifts which I've always wished I would be doing come Christmastime. But even without the my traditional gift-giving among friends, what I really treasured this past Christmas season was spending time with family and friends - high school, college and balikbayan friends. Nothing beats that!

We celebrated Christmas day differently this time - we went picnic! I realized that we've been eating on the same restaurant every Christmas in Tagaytay and yet there's really nothing special in their menu...mas masarap pa lutong bahay! So this year, we decided to go on a picnic! This is the first time that the kids will experience it. It was fun and we had a great time enjoying the simple things - yummy adobo with egg, rice, soda, just lying under the big tree feeling the cool breeze - aahhh, the simply joys of life! We explained to the kids why we decided to go on a picnic - (1) to try something new & different, (2) its more practical (less expensive than dining in a restaurant) and (3) happiness is in the company of your loved ones not necessarily in a mall or fine dining resto or lots of foods on the table that you don't even know how to consume them all much more what to do come new year's eve party!

Work-wise, I can't complain. God has been very generous to me and my staff for continuous projects here and abroad. One of the highlights of the year was an article featuring me and my kids in Good Housekeeping Philippines on the column about Mompreneurs. :) Hopefully I can post pics here soon! I still have to scan it, haha! :)

Another memorable event was I got invited to share my humble beginnings infront of a thousand students from the different colleges & universities in the province of Cavite - The 3rd Cavite Entrepreneurship Students Summit. Believe me - I've always had stage fright and never in my wildest dreams that I would speak infront of a huge crowd. I accepted the invitation before I knew that there would be 1000 of them! I wanted to back out but realizing that this might be the 1st and last time that I would be doing this plus the chance to inspire those students to become entrepreneurs, too, I decided to do it! And thank God for giving me the courage. It was a very fulfilling experience and I am willing to do it one more time! haha! nawili...

On the homefront, kids have been amazing - in school and at home - assuring us that somehow we are right in raising them. We may not have more than what we need but we're happy and I know that God knows what our hearts desire even before we ask Him....

I'll try to post some pics next time. For now, I just wish anybody who's reading my blog a blessed 2010. May we all be safe and healthy. :)