le weekend.

hello hello
un petit update

* i graduated. booyah. but i didn't think it was this scary. unless a) you're doing masters/doctorate/teacher's college in the fall or b) you've made the conscious decision to not do anything with your degree...being done school may leave you a bit vulnerable to adults...because like any typical 30+ man or woman, the question that they follow your little "i just graduated" announcement is always: "what are you planning to do now?" and you can tell when they're not satisfied with your reply. i hate it because i don't really know what i want to do...with my undergrad degree that is. i wanted to get into teaching but changed my mind last year. it wouldn't be fair to my teaching charges if their teacher just used teaching as a resort.
* went to the ballet avec alice who i haven't seen since our last gno. it was a lot of fun. like totally immature prepubescent guys
* went to a wedding reception, my first one in years. this one was a chinese one so it had a 10 course meal...of which i only ate 5? i didn't eat the fish, the lobster and of course the vegetables. i ate jellyfish though thinking it was noodles. haha.
* totally had a sex and the city moment avec Brandon (who is not straight by the way), by taking the cab around downtown as if it was manhattan. haha.
* john finally bought his ticket for his every-3-months visit. hehe.

i am happy to say that i got what i wanted ever since i saw it online:

john surprised me with it as an early birthday present.
i went to scrapbooks by design during lunch time with my co-workers to pick up this huge thing.
when i got there, the following conversation happened between Patrick (the owner) and i:

patrick: do you know a guy named john?
me: (stupidly) uhh no...
patrick: really? (points at embellishment center) because your embellishment center has been prepaid by john.
me: oh yeah!!! JOHN? really? yes i know a guy named john!

how sad is that. it just seemed random that's all for Patrick to know John without ever meeting him.
but yes, that's what happened. john bought me the embellishment center! merci buckets babe. je t'm :) auuugghhh awesome. no more makeshift shelves on the table. so here it is in the flesh:


this was also a crafty weekend. went to the workroom for the tote class. i love karyn! she's so awesome.
today i made a journal cover (again) for john. this time i added a pocket and a pen holder:
and that is all.

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covering some skin

today's project is a journal cover, instructions from kirin notebook.
i used my sister's moleskin for practice.
a little disappointing though because it was too big, once again, just like my throw pillow cover. i had to do running stitches around the edge, which was not part of the original instructions.
but anyway, here it is.


we didn't end up watching satc on friday night (which we will try to see this friday once more) we got to town center too late, but that's okay. the four of us went crazy at congee queen. afterwards we went to this awesome chinese dessert place where i got red bean freeze in coconut milk with ice cream on top. yum-o.
a few hours later i woke up at 4 am to go to rochester with the family.
sunday was booked with appointments for people to see the house so we had to be out most of the time. i took my younger siblings out to see prince caspian. i didn't like the ending too much, but man, prince caspian was pretty hot. i read all the narnia books when i was young but i don't remember a thing.
saturday is convocation day and i cannot wait!!! :)

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how to stay cool & fresh looking in the summer...

...because there's just nothing worse than being a regular ball of oil and dirt and sweat:

* the obvious one is, wear appropriate clothing and footwear. i still see girls wearing leather boots and uggs around downtown. it's not even a question of fashion anymore. it's highly impractical and you can't possibly be freezing in 28-degree weather. i think it's just really silly to wear them when everyone else around you is wearing open-toed shoes or sandals. that must be indicative for something.

at the same time, you don't have to look slutty to stay cool.

spaghetti strap tops with the straps showing?
not very appealing...especially if the straps are discolored from sweat and dirt.

* carry blotting paper around with you. nothing is more satisfying than seeing that little sheet of paper turn translucent. haha.

* keep baby powder with you. use it for your back, your neck, your feet, your hands when they're sweaty.
if you have bangs and get nastified at the sight of their oiliness, run your fingers through them with some powder...don't worry, it won't turn white. the powder sucks up the oil (this is proven hehe)

* carry around wipes. sometimes after getting off the train (especially if you're coming from downtown), your hands can feel really dirty with the same mixture that you would find on a dirty bra strap. wipes are really useful to get rid of that feeling.

*shave, wax (or whatever you prefer) those underarms. according to my waxer, underarm hair makes you sweaty and is the number one cause of b.o (number two cause: wearing unfresh shirts)

* don't forget to wear deodorant and anti-perspirant.there are times when you get too sweaty and you feel like it's no longer working...nothing makes it worse than reapplying deodorant. what you'll get are layers just like a strawberry parfait: old deodorant, sweat, new deodorant. :S use wipes or kleenex just to get rid of the grime and then reapply.


and voila.

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doing sew many things.

teehee.


nehoo...i'm going to be taking 5 classes at the workroom and cannot wait. i'll be learning how to
make a tote
make an a-line skirt
sew up zippered pouches
transform men's dress shirts into a more feminine shirt
and make a pattern of a favorite shirt and try making one just like it (the class is called knock it off)
tomorrow raiya and i finally get to decorate the cookies we baked last week!
(i met bonnie gordon...she's not the friendliest person in the world, i'll have to admit)
and vendredi, sex and the city avec les trois. yes, it wasn't given a good rating, the hype is gone, but who cares.
last movie i saw in the theater was omg...across the universe with john. and that was last october! yikes. and it was the most boring movie in the whole world. it's something that you have to watch all drugged up. like alice in wonderland.
i've been commissioned to make a birthday card. hopefully it turns out well. i'm being paid with cookies. hehe.

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i've been anti-social lately. hence the crafting.
here is an attempt at making a more girly card. jolie is pretty for french. i thought it would make a good card for a baby shower. it needs tweaking.
all the stitches are done by hand...but i won't have to do it anymore because...
i finally got a sewing machine! some people ask for cars or money or whatnot as a graduation present...i asked for a sewing machine. hehe. i've been dying to get one.



defective dresses. hehe.

another girly card. it definitely needs more work. the stitches are all hand sewn once again.
word of advice: never try to squeeze out glue when there's dried glue keeping it from flowing. because it will explode all over the place. i'm an idiot. i should have figured that out before i did what i did. but then you learn from your mistakes. as stupid as they are.
(i got some on my mouth and eyes. and i found glue in the oddest places in my room)

so my package from two peas in a bucket finally arrived!

so excited to use them!
and lastly, tonight i decided to make another throw pillow.
my homemade throw pillow, with emo-looking blythe. haha.



and that is all for now. my brother and i biked to fabricland today and splurged on fabric (durs) and felt. he wants me to make him a softie green tea bag. hehe. i'll post pictures up once it's done.

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thrifty mission #2

went a-thrifting with angela during lunch today. for $62 i was able to buy:
* a carpet bag - a la granny, but it has its charm
* three vintage looking purses, all in mint condition (genuine leather, that's why)
* a pair of brown striped pants
* peep toe heels
* a bcbg dress (!!!)
* and la piece de resistance, a tiffany green rotary phone (well not exactly rotary...it has buttons)(!!!!!!!)
i was so excited when i saw it. it would be perfect for the new room.

a few things i learned while thrifting for a second time
* never thrift on an empty stomach. today i did and i was irritable by the end of it.
* scour the racks of clothes carefully
* grab whatever you can and sift through your findings afterwards

today i realized that i need to spruce up my vocabulary. i didn't even know what the word innocuous meant. but at least i can spell it! haha. and now i do:
in·noc·u·ous
–adjective
1.not harmful or injurious; harmless: an innocuous home remedy.
2.not likely to irritate or offend; inoffensive; an innocuous remark.
3.not interesting, stimulating, or significant; pallid; insipid: an innocuous novel.
it's not that i'm stupid, okay...hehe. it's just that i haven't been reading for a while. i always sleep on the train and at the end of the day i'm just dying to play with my scrapbooking stuff and the piano that reading just slips my mind.
i should really do word-of-the-days.
and i need books to read. stimulating ones. any suggestions?

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another survey, from angela.

i skimp when buying:
underwear.
i only buy underwear on sale at la senza, those 5 for $25 ones.
i splurge when buying:
* things for my face. i always have to have a supply of cleanser, moisturizer, toner and renewal from clinique.
* blouses of the same style but in different colors. i'm notorious for being a bulk buyer. but oh well.
* items on sale, especially at urban outfitters
* i splurge on sunglasses. i own more than 10.
* anything from urban outfitters and lately, scrapbooking websites and stores
i always break this fashion rule:
uh i don't know. ask my sister.
i never break this fashion rule:
as my sister says: i never wear sweats in public.
and i don't wear running shoes out of the house unless i'm going running. that's why they're called running shoes.
must have item for spring 2008:
a pair of glads. although i have a pair at home, another one in a camel color and in black wouldn't hurt.
augh i still want wide legged pants. but i haven't found one that looks good on me.
favourite store:
french connection, club monaco, the gap, old navy, urban outfitters, h&m, mango, yes angela, mango, obscure chinese & korean stores, thrift shops, kensington market, garage sales. haha.
style icon:
audrey hepburn of course & jackie o. when feeling feminine, this random parisienne girl that i stalk, dianne keaton in her younger years, and yes, angela, believe it or not, kirsten dunst when i feel like dressing down
most cherished item:
hm. i don't know. i cherish all my things.
favorite item of clothing:
i like my clothes...but my most favorite ones would be my gap skirt which i got altered to make it high waisted, my gold trimmed french connection top, my tiered top from h&m, my metallic flats. these flats are simple. in fact they didn't even make it to karyn's hall of shoes :( (note to self, wear funky shoes when going a-sewing) but i can wear them with anything.
favorite stylish movie:
breakfast at tiffany's & annie hall
guilty pleasure:
random blogs, hilary duff songs
describe your personal style:
gak. i dress too much on the safe side.
i feel best wearing:
lacey, silky, sheer (in a classy kind of way) feminine tops, blouses, dresses in a creamy color partnered with skinny jeans (cigs, to be more specific. i like them tighter at the ankle) and gold flats or sandals.
style quirk:
skinny belts
most overrated item:
augh i don't know. maybe not overrated but item that i really hate: leggings trimmed with lace. those are emeffing ugly. cheap graphic tees from ae, a&f or hollister? haha.
most underrated item:
clean, crisp white t-shirts.
most stylish city:
paris & tokyo
never caught wearing:
sweats & running shoes (unless i'm working out), hoop earrings, apple bottom jeans haha, shirts with big logos of californian brands on my non-existent chest, golf shirts, skanky clothing, clubbing clothes, shirts with ruching, pedal pushers, cargos
when i was in high school i wore:
all things american eagle and blue notes. haha.
do you shine your own shoes?
no because my shoes are the type that don't require shining
favorite fashion magazine:
vogue, lulu, flare, elle and teen vogue. but i prefer blogs of real people. they're easier to emulate. teehee.
favorite other magazine:
martha stewart hehe.
cologne, skincare, perfume:
everything clinique. i use clinique three-step with renewal and everything about eyes cream. i can only wear clinique happy. anything else makes me dizzy.
i always dress my best for:
i always like looking my best.

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a night at home.

i decided to stay home tonight. i've been so tired! but it's the good kind though...i've been going from lesson to the next and volunteering from one event to the next that it's nice to be at home and just do whatever and eat dinner from the kitchen. hehe.
yesterday my sister and i went thrifting. for $32 and a few cents i was able to score:
- two pairs of heels
- a gray skirt which is now at the cleaners being altered
- a vest for the winter
- two record albums, one of henry mancini and another which has honeymoon in paris on it
- the most darling teapot in a light coral
i've decided that i will hang those two albums and showcase some of my polaroids...in my new room.
AUGH. we bought a house! i am so excited! it has the awesomest kitchen ever! :) i am soooo excited!
so i am trying to sew up softies...they're cute little homemade stuffed toys. but first, meet suzy. my first doll. i took the simple doll course at the workoom. last sunday. i still have to fix her face. i want to either embroider her features or sew on buttons. i can't draw for crap.

i'm indulging myself in hobbies right now: piano, cardmaking, sewing, cooking, etc...doing things that i never had the time to do while i was still in school.
this thursday i will be taking a workshop on designer cookies with raiya at the bonnie gordon school of cakes. if you've seen the perfect man with hilary duff, the cakes that are showcased in that movie are by bonnie gordon herself. again, i am so excited! :)
so this is one of my current projects...i have yet to name him or her, but it's a little softie dog:


what the heck is that, you ask. it's a quickutz squeeze. you stick in a die and your paper of choice and it cuts out letters or shapes for you and even embosses paper.

cards.
a stack of fat quarters (1/4 yard of fabric). this collection is going to grow soon. johnny, this is for you.
embellishments. which i will have more of once i get my long awaited package from
two peas in a bucket
cutting tools.

and that is all for now. i'm hoping hoping hoping that i will get my sewing machine soon.

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sew awesome.

hehe.
so today i finally unraveled the mystery of the sewing machine. i tinkered with the old singer one i found in the basement, but all i did was damage.
the class was at the workroom, taught by karyn, who was really patient! the workroom is toronto's first sewing space by the hour. it's kinda like an internet cafe except with sewing machines.
the class i took today was the sewing essential course. we basically learned the parts of the machine, how to thread it, how to thread the bobbin, and of course how to work it. today's project was a throw pillow...and i am so proud of mine:
i signed up for another session on sunday, on how to make a simple doll, something that i could do as a christmas present. another one i'll be taking is easy alterations. i can't wait...i don't have to spend so much money on getting my pants hemmed!

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more cards.

my sister fears that i might turn into one of those cat ladies who stay at home and knit and make hundreds of pillows of the same type (think of drew barrymore, never been kissed before her transformation). it's not really like that though. my new hobby keeps me busy. hehe.
i've made two so far. one's for johnny and the other one is for my very good friend who's in quebec right now.


i'm dying to get the embellishment centre from making memories:

it's still being ordered though and it'll probably take a month before i can finally have it. i've been trying to be organized, but the tiny workspace i have keeps me from being so. but anyway, i've always wanted one,

my buttons & brads. i just bought more from two peas in a bucket today, an awesome scrapbooking website.
scissors and ribbons and cardstock.

in other news, the TRENDS event was awesome! i broke the spending record and spent $52 on appetizers for 30+ people. how did i do that? simple: food basics. hahaha. food basics keeps prices really low. i changed the menu the very morning of the event and we served: mushrooms en croute, quiche with caramelized onion and bacon, pepper rolls, and openfaced prosciutto, roasted red bell pepper and pesto and mozarella sandwiches. yum-o.
tomorrow is my first sewing class. i cannot wait! we'll be sewing up throw pillow cases!

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a new hobby.

so i spent $200+ at this store in glendale called paper rabbit. i felt guilty only for a millisecond. i was inspired by my aunt's office which was scrapbook heaven. she had a collection of papers, stamps, stamp pads, tools, etc.
so here is my second project. my first one is a very crappy one that i won't even post. this one is for mal, who has a baby shower to go to this weekend. i'm so stupid though because i smudged it.
augh.

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hola from cali!

hello hello from cali!
this'll be a quickie but goodness i am loving every minute of my cali stay. i'm in l.a. now hanging out at a cousin's house that i never knew i had and we're now all instantly friends.
i will be back with photos :) today we went to universal studios. tomorrow, santa monica, newport & laguna beach and saturday disneyland!
i'm eating loads of filipino food. good for the tastebuds but not for the tummy. i feel like i'm gaining so much weight. womp womp, as my sister says.
i'll stop now and get back to much needed family bonding.

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the dizzy dancing way you feel

everything's been great great, despite a few clashes and conflicts i've been having with people. but it's only a few.

just a reminder for those who love clinique, it's clinique bonus time at sears :) i got one today and i am mighty pleased with eye shadow duo that came with it. spend $26.50 and you can also get two lipsticks, zero gravity repairwear lift firming cream (but this is for older people), liquid facial soap in travel size, mascara and an elle canada magazine subscription offer (12 months for $6.00), and a choice between a pink or purple zippered pouch (i chose the pink one).

i am pmsing big time. i am cranky and i feel huge and bloated all over and i'm ALWAYS hungry. this week i craved a cookies, cookies, cookies (especially felix&norton and triple chocolate ones) thai mango salad, panini and salmon. augh. i wonder how it'll be like when i am actually pregnant with my future baby.
speaking of babies, i went to see hershey and her cutest and most adorable baby, ellexis mia. she is the prettiest baby i have seen so far and she has the most beautiful eyelashes. hersch calls me tita...hahaha. i'm a tita now :) and man, it just goes to show how much older we're getting. it was a really good visit and it was nice to see hersch too...after all i did consider her my best friend in elementary :)
anyway, i can't wait to buy mia cute little dresses for the summer. baby girls are always the best to shop for! jewlz looks so cute with the bottle in her hand. and herschelle, so smiley and CHARMING as ever! :)

i look funny here (yeah well mel you look funny all the time). haha.

before that i went out with jewlz, which was really nice. i had a monstruous dessert that night- they call it a chocomisu - which is tiramisu topped with ice cream, whipped cream and chocolate syrup. yum-o! as rachael ray says (who i now detest, btw- i used to love love her and then she got annoying. EVOO is actually harder to say than extra virgin olive oil. it was also annoying how she used to say EVOO as a shortcut and then she would go "which is extra virgin olive oil". augh rachael. waste of air. argh). anyway, it was an awesome concoction.

i'm improving with my piano playing. i can read notes now! hehe. i'm still playing dinky songs, but they're getting harder. it gets a bit boring sometimes and i'm dying to play henry mancini and james horner and hans zimmer and jewel songs, but basics and foundations first!
i also signed up for a one time 3-hour sewing class at the workroom. it's soooo adorable...it's absolutely girly and they sell the most beautiful fabric. it's toronto's first sew by the hour space - meaning if you don't have a sewing machine at home, you can come and sew there at a nominal fee. i want to learn how to use a sewing machine so in the future i can make my own clothes and homemade presents (this freaks angela out. she thinks i'm going to turn into those weirdo bloggers who stay indoors all day and make arts&crafts).

i hate the weather right now. i've packed away my sweaters but it's back to 10 degrees.

i'm getting a haircut tonight...it's going to be like posh's...i know it's really passé, but that's all i can do with my hair right now, since its still too short (but really shapeless and flat.)

anyhoo, back to work. have a beeyootiful sunshiney day :)

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