At The Playground Lately...

yllac's shirts here were all from SM Kids FAshion

 

Oh nothing, just us two monkeys hanging around in the playground - the happiest place on Earth. Now that we're in between summer and rain Yllac sure is boiling mad every time we cannot go play out because of the puddles. Sure, it makes the playground all ours but the puddle! oh those puddle. Let's just say, what a waste of a perfectly empty playground.

Or, maybe all we need is a good rain boots. 

Mirror Mirror On The Wall. You're a Girl's Best Friend.

The best invention in the world known to mankind is a mirror. Self explanatory really. Now, if it's a whole wall of mirror combined with the power of technology - aka phone camera .... BAM! selfie is born. It's taking a picture of yourself but with art. Wait? is selfie and mirror shot the same? ... It's just instinct really. You have your phone with you, there's a mirror and you think you looked fine...BAM!! you let the whole world know bout that. Pout, Stomach in. Chest out. Hold it… Then press click. It's crazy. It's fun. I don't know why I do it. Do you? 

SO anyway, I've been documenting my looks lately with our home mirror. It's calling to me before I go out. Can't help it. It's weird. But I like it. A mirror-picture don't lie. Even without a mouth it says so much. 

Lose the belt or wear a thin belt. 

No, that's the wrong shoe. 

Wow! Your head looks huge. 

your smile is crazy!

whoah! calm down your pout. 

Who poses like that?

Girl, your hair color needs a retouch

 ...something like that, if you know what I mean.   

Seriously guuurl, can you imagine life without mirror? Can you imagine yourself looking down at a tub of water just to check yourself out. Yah know what I mean???? 

Let's move on to my shoes. My mirror is smart. My mirror tells me Im too old for some of my shoes resting in my shoe closet and I need to come to terms of letting them go. I KNOW! I have said this a bazillion of times. And I don't learn obviously. My mirror also tells me that Im better with my single sole heels. Not a sky high heels, but a practical height of 2 to 3 inches. My mirror keep on telling me that I need to invest in classic heels in black, brown and nude. I have found my nude a month ago from Payless. It's a classic 2.5 inch heels with a round toe shape. My mirror tells me I need to calm down when it comes to my "style". I like my mirror so I'm likely inclined to believe it.

So, tell me, what does your mirror say to you lately??? ( I cannot believe I just asked you that) But tell me anyway. Woohoo girl power! 

ps.
Shop Update 

DIY Kate Spade Cameo Jewels Bib Necklace

 

left: Kate Spade. Right: DIY

Ever since this Kate Spade necklace came out last year I've been dying to make my own cheap version of it.

So here's the deal-io my girls, this Kate Spade necklace costs about 198$ and it's on sale now for 99$. Still I don't have 99$ to afford this. But I have my dear darling husband who bought me the jewels from Quiapo (that one time he went to Manila w/o me) and the rest as they say is whaaalaaahhh!!!-here's-my-DIY-Kate-Spade-necklace-made-from-semi-scratch. 

It's not magic but it's real easy... i pinky promise.

Shop Update

 

after weeks of attempt, i finally updated my shop today. woohoo!

Can I interest you to a very hairy sweater? yes? ...if you like stylish sweater and dresses, shop them HERE

Thrift Confessions - Texier Leather Bag

If you're going to invest in a bag - make it A Have-It-Forever Leather Bag. But good leather bags are expensive and there is no way I can afford that now. But sometimes you just get lucky, if yah know what I mean? 

Okay, here's a story.

Two months ago I saw this beautiful, creamy-soft bucket bag from the thrift store I frequent. It took my breath away like a punch in my stomach. The good kind of punch. That kind of pressure that makes you all giddy up and imagine yourself carrying that bag anywhere. For the first time this year I know I "needed" that bag. So i inspected it and it's perfect. No scratch anywhere, it is perfect. Twice perfect! Usually, thick leather bags are heavy but this one feels like a feather. The brand said "Texier" and I have no idea about that brand. The asking price was 700php.Wow! it was a little expensive when it's supposed to be a thrift right. Yah know what I mean ladies and gentlegays? So I made my peace to say goodbye to it for a while and maybe, just maybe, after a month if the bag is still hanging up there on it's pedestal, then maybe it's meant for me to take it home.

Fast forward to a month later, (and i know, you know, it's a good happy story right?) it is still hanging up there. (Im going for the kill) With 700 pesos in my hand i marched my thrifty bum inside the store heaving a sigh of relief that that beautiful bag is meant for me. The thrift lady said "300 ate, sale kami". Nothing registered inside my braid, I just stared at her. All the while I was whoohoo-ing inside. Playing along, I pushed my luck to 250php. (it's just a barter trick you need to master when you thrift- always ask for a lower price) She rolled her eyes and pretend to think. ( I know she's just pretending, it's a sales technique - HA HA!) And then she said yes. We both smiled and sealed the deal. Omigod! Omigod! Omigod! I finally have a Texier leather bucket bag. Yah feel me? 

...seriously...

...the best thing about leather bags, is that they get better over time. The oils in our hand make it look better, but you wouldn't see that effect if the bag were black. A classic shape and practical size is important, but in the end, it's all about the color. I love camel and brown hues on bag. Black is a classic, but I prefer camel leather. Especially this one, the amazing looking beat-up brown leather from Texier. It sure is versatile too. You can easily wear it with everything, from pastels to neon. You can mix camel with just as many colors as you would with black.

So, tell me, have you had any luck with thrift leather bags recently?  

ps,
here's another thrift camel bag I have

Sometime Last Week...

Whenever i hear or read or watch someone talk about how being a mother is the most difficult job of all the lahlahland...eh.. Im not sure if i can agree to that. Lemme tell yah mah friends - motherhood isn't easy and also not that difficult. Did I confuse you? Sometimes a day goes by without any difficulty, without tantrums, without  crying. It's one of the easy, blissful days when my baby like to exercise his legs and walk on his own like he's been walking forever. He sits on the grocery cart so well-behaved and not once did he pick any item to throw in other people's basket or hold on to a bag of candy and not squeal the moment i take it away. It's a oh-happy-day day when he takes a scheduled nap at the middle of the day. That means no grumpy baby, early bed time and you're sure to wake up to a smiling toddler the next morning. Also it sure is a sign of a great day when your toddler kisses you full on the lips early in the morning without even asking for it. Awesome easy day fow-shoo.   You see, on those days motherhood for me is easy. You just cannot help but tell yourself over and over again "how easy is this huh!". The house is calm. Even my hair isn't freezy. Seriously, my hair can tell you the condition of our mother and son state of calamity/calm-ity. Just like today. Yllac let me take a full bath. The whole deal - scrub, shampoo and conditioner. No banging on the bathroom sliding door. And yesterday, while we were out in a restaurant he was just sitting the whole meal. Just sitting and eating. No need to rush and bring us all the food, appetizers, main courses and desserts all of the same time. It was the most peaceful day of my life.

Easy. lemme. tell. yah..

But of course, there's always a difficult day.

So...

Lemme tell yah how our day went a week ago...

A Black Dress Made From Netherlands...

I thrifted this dress early this year. (Like duh, Denise. People know your clothes are always from thrift) It has no tag so I can't tell the brand but there's a little tag on the left side of the dress that says "dry clean only" and that it was made from Netherlands. But it was too late because I already hand-washed it and yeah, again, let me tell yah - it's made from Netherlands. Honestly I don't know where Netherlands is. Maybe somewhere near Narnia and Hogwarts. But whatevs. It sounded like a magical place, that's why this dress is magical too.

dress: thirft

heels: Gojane

bag: Coach from my Mom

Yllac and Me on Mother's Day 2013

First of all,  Happy Mother's day to my mom and Jayson's Mom - the two most wonderful women in our lives. Thank you Moms for setting a beautiful example for us each day while we were growing up and up till now. You're both our strength. Thank you so much. And of course Happy Mother's day to you and to your mom too and to all moms. Yay! It sure feels good that the whole world is celebrating us. Hooray for Moms!

 

Just wanted to share these photos of us yesterday on the playground. I mean, It was supposed to be "my day", but it's impossible to drag this toddler of mine to come with me and buy something nice for myself in the mall. Toddlers do not understand the concept of retail therapy, lemme tell yah 

Mother's Day

...I would never have thought it possible, but i love him more today than the day he was born. ...the kind of love that grows each day. If you know what i mean...

I am a mom first and I do have so many sideline activities after that. I do enjoy my sideline projects, silly or not. And sometimes It’s easy to forget what is most important in my life. I need to remind myself everyday that my family is the most important thing in my life. I’m discovering how to appreciate what I have in each moment, and not mourn for what I don't have. I used to hate those election jingle trucks before. Seriously, they all sound bad. But lo and behold, Yllac loves them. It's his jam. You should see my boy groovin' his bum to each jingle. Each time they pass by our home everything I do stops for a minute because Yllac would run to me, hold my hand and jump, wave his hands, dance and stomp his feet to the beat. Oh. My. Heart! I am just glad he needed me and likes me as his dance partner. Not to toot my own horn, but I think, he thinks I am a good dancer. One day soon he won't need me as much as now. That's what I have now and that's what I need.

Happy Mother's day fellow moms and to all mom figures out there. Enjoy this day. Wishing you love and happiness and appreciation. You rock Mommas! 

Orange Floral and Silver Heels...

I guess this dress deserves a proper blog post other than this. Thanks Yllac. 

...and I think silver heels looks good worn with every color. It shines oh so good paired with neutrals and in solid colors too. This gojane silver kitten heels that I got for less than 20$ last year is groovin' and rockin' the shoe trend this year. I mean it's cheap, it's fun and surprisingly a whole lot versatile. I bought one in gold too. But between silver and gold, silver is a more subtle metallic color. Gold is too much "out there", if you know what i mean. Even in jewelry, i prefer silver than gold. Mind you, gold does not agree with my sweat. Ew and TMI.

dress: thrift
heels: gojane
bag: charles and keith  

Making Lunch With Yllac...

Not really a cooking challenge but it sure is challenging to work your way in the kitchen with a toddler whose very much intention is to help you out. Especially with the stirring. Oh the stirring...Mothers, Yah feel me? 

So this is lunch. The easiest and fastest lunch I can cook these days. There's serving of vegetable and meat from the can. I guess that's healthy enough for me and gourmet looking ei? C'mon, anything with garlic and olive oil is gourmet for me. Well that's just me.

Any Mamas out there reading this? How do you work your way in your kitchen with your kids tugging your leg all day?   

ps, 

The easiest Brussels sprout recipe you can make.

If You Want My Only Parenting Advice I Can Think Of Now...Here It is

For me, it is just simple really. But true. I mean the absolute truth. You know what fellow moms and dads... kids don't need a lot of stuff to be happy. I have finally understood that now...