unexpected turns of the day

The plan was:

Go to the market to buy fabrics and plain shoes. Then go to my parents' house to do Other Business work and finish it by 5PM -- I wanted a no-distraction environment and not have to prepare my meals so I could finish everything early.

What actually happened:

I was not feeling too well when I woke up. I think my brain was trying to slowly get into work mode and so much of me was resisting it. We got to the market at least half an hour later than planned. Since I did not get to eat breakfast (because I was feeling sick-ish) I suggested brunch before the buying. So we got a very cheap but very delicious meal for two for only Php120.00. As we were polishing off our plates, a woman walked by selling freshly swirled ice cream in cups for Php10.00.

Then we got the plain shoes and the fabrics for the next batch of projects. On the way home we made a side trip to my grandma's (unplanned - we thought since we were passing by the same street we might as well drop by). 

As to be expected, my grandmother has transformed her home in time for Valentine's Day.

She has also handcrafted items for selling and gifting. Little dolls adorn recycled plastic bottles that have been redesigned to be container bowls.

She kept a few pieces for her own home. This is her favorite.

She was also excited to give me her birthday gift. Yay!

And she gave me my own dolled decor as an extra Valentine gift. :)

Then I had to rush home because the cable guy was in the lobby to check my cable box which has not been working for three days. I ended up going home, having the cable fixed, and then falling into a tired nap. It was mid-afternoon when I finally got back to my parents' house.

My sister and I had rice cakes and coffee for afternoon snack.

I tried getting started at work while my sister started on redesigning the shoes. Oh, how I envied her!

And then I found out that my dad had been to the post office and picked up a package for me -- my other Etsy order of knitting needles! Well, at least that's one bright spot as I struggled to concentrate on getting a report done.

My mom called us to dinner at around 7PM and as we ate the TV was on and we all ended up watching The Accidental Husband. 

I decided to head for home and try finishing the work before going to bed. It was already 9PM. My sister was stil working on another pair of shoes when I left.

And now I am blogging as I take a break from the work that has been pushed away in so many ways for so many times. *sigh* I must get this done then I can schedule some serious crafting time with my sister.

How did your day turn out?

crafty friday

One of my Etsy orders finally got claimed at the post office today. Hooray! (Although I am wondering where the other one has gotten to...)

I did say in a previous post that I will be knitting by February. Well, it looks like I am!

I plan to learn and practice with cheap yarn first before using these beautiful ones. (Uh-oh, I just realize I will need a storage for my knitting stuff. Maybe I could make something up from old empty boxes -- and yes this is such a perfect excuse to craft tonight after I come home from my Artist Date.)

Have a fabulous Friday everyone!

bruised and being in some kind of weird but happy mood

Wednesday, fresh from practice 

Saturday, bruise still visible and the rest of it has also come out like a map of tender pain

I'm the 90's mood tonight. Playing a long list of my favorite 90's alternative music.

Kendo was exhausting although we only had an hour of practice (the first hour was spent with demonstrations and a lecture). I have been feeling like I'm coming down with something but I'm doing my best to ignore it.

My glass paints arrived today and I can't wait to use them on the empty glass bottles I have been hoarding for the past month. (Do you know I sometimes pick my extra virgin olive oil based on how nice the bottle is for repurposing later on? heehee) But there's a bit of work to be done for a project with a rather tight schedule so the glass bottles and the glass paints will have to wait a while. *sniff*

I am in that lovely stage of not being in love because it lets me be in love with life itself. I like feeling the whole potential of so many things all at the same time. I am in one huge endless fairy tale where the witches are actually wise women and the princesses look out at me from their towers wishing they could run and jump as freely I could. I, with my rough feet and bruised knees and chore-callused hands, pass by white-horsed handsome princes without a second glance. Instead, I run across the fields of gold, and I throw myself nto the glittering sky.

What do stars do? (quoted from Stardust, movie adaptation of a graphic novel by Neil Gaiman)

paprika and paper

Yes! I am finally seriously fixing my meal plan so I will eat well and on time for the rest of the year.

I was derailed for the past four or five days because of projects (from the Other Business) that came and needed to be attended to. Meetings alone ate up a lot of time and I had to postpone the grocery shopping many times. On the other hand, it also made me think even more seriously about having a meal plan that can withstand work loads and lazy modes.

Last night I found myself organizing my digital files (trying to find old work files) and realized that my digital clutter is more horrible than my physical clutter (which, I am rather proud to say, has been managed not too badly since the start of the new year).

So I made a craft file-book where I collated important articles, e-courses, references -- everything I will need and use over and over again as I move forward with my creative pursuits. I (re)discovered articles I had saved for reading at a later date. I un-bookmarked old articles that are no longer relevant. Basically I cleaned up and organized. And no matter what app or software comes out there, nothing yet can match the tangible order and versatility and flexibility of folders and paper. Yes I printed on paper but I was selective and the file-book itself is promising to grow into a beautiful collage and collection. I  have blank pages where I can write and draw as my notes and comments to the articles.

This led me to the idea of doing the same for my meal plan and recipe collection. I have lots of cookbooks and food magazines and I subscribe to a lot of online food blogs and websites yet it is such an effort to find something to cook for dinner. It really is time to have a system so I also get to cook or bake something new at least every week. I also want to keep vegetables as regular mainstays in every meal.

Paprika is an iPad app that I am finding to be very useful in collating all my online recipes from across all the blogs and websites. It is accessible offline and it has a wonderful amazing system for capturing recipes. From my physical cookbooks I intend to put together a recipe file-book (or file-box!) just like what I did with the crafts and re-write the recipes in my own kitchen shorthand so it is also easier to use and refer to. Then I will also turn it into a kitchen diary of sorts and paste photos of what I have cooked or baked. This way I can also easily check ingredients.

I am now wondering if there are printing papers out there that are made of recycled materials? I think I will be using a bit as I do more organizing. Perhaps I should check the bookstores thoroughly. I am sure something is bound to turn up.

:)

the last day of Christmas

Today is the last day (or week?) of Advent. Christmas decors will really have to come down starting tomorrow. I've put mine away even before the new year. But some families like to keep the spirit lingering until the Three Kings have visited the baby Jesus.

My grandma is one such person. We visited her today and she was so happy and surprised to see us. She was already planning her Valentine's home decor and showed us a box of dolls she will be using for her handmade displays. I can't wait to see what she will do with them!

Then she insisted that we stay for lunch and she shooed us away from her kitchen as she whipped something up. We all had a full happy lunch of soup and her homemade embotido and she also added some chicken luncheon meat. She went to the trouble of arranging the food on a bed of greens and sliced onions and tomatoes. Then we had fruit salad for dessert.

It was raining and her home was so cozy and warm and filled with grandma loving energies.

In the afternoon we went to a friend's house because he has been wanting us to see their Christmas decor especially the themed Christmas Tree - another family who likes to squeeze the most of the Christmas season. The trip was well worth it because the tree was truly lovely (I would guess it was about 12 feet tall or more) and then we got to listen to some nice music and we got fed a bowlful of super delicious pasta carbonara.

It was a rather unusual Sunday for me and my sister but very refreshing and relaxing and heartwarming. This new year is really proving to be a great one!

5 things i want to learn in 2012

On top of all the things I want to do more of, there are a few new things I want to learn. These have been on my list since late last year but had to be put off to make way for the first trials with the shop and the settling in into the whole crafty lifestyle.

I am not yet sure how I will go about learning these. Maybe online classes, or buying tons of books and self-studying, or being lucky enough to find an affordable and accessible class that I could actually enroll in. I have an aunt and a grandma who can help out with a couple of the items but their availability will be tricky. So any help to point me to options will be most welcome!


Printing my own Design on Fabric

For this I am very inspired by untoldimprint. There are also colors and pattern combinations that I could only find in my head and not in the shops. And if I do find them in the shops then it would cost me a fortune.

I would also like to learn it closer to the old-fashioned way instead of just using an ink-jet printer or special gadgets. Silk screen printing is something that often comes up and I have come across it in one of my high school home economics class although we were never really allowed to touch screen nor fabric.

untoldimprint

silkscreen and scribble

Knitting

This is such a granny (worse, old maid) thing to do and I know I would probably not escape being needled (pun intended) about it. But then I would point these people to the blogs of really cool girls who knit. I mean, it doesn't have to be an "old lady" thing with all its related associations of being a recluse and surrounded by cats and all the other granny cliches  -- and by the way have you seen my ninety-year-old grandma? She defies most definitions of how ninety-year-old grandmas "should" be. :D

from art equals happy

Making Quilts/ Patchwork

I have two quilt-style skirts and I've always wanted a quilt for my bed. I just love the whole idea of having all the colors and patterns I want in one piece all at the same time! I once saw this really beautiful bed quilt at a thrift shop but it was being sold at Php5000. I could see why it could be worth that but it's supposed to be a THRIFT shop!

e-course by smile and wave

Dressmaking

I am particularly interested in recreating and reviving vintage patterns. Almost all of my clothes now are thrifted or vintage -- another move to help mother earth by recycling even with my wardrobe. Learning to make my own clothes will also support local fabric suppliers and significantly lessen the cost involved in each piece. I also don't have to make do with whatever fashion style is in vogue (which often lately only flatters skinny girls).

from Style Hive

It has also been difficult to find perfect fitting pretty skirts that don't cost a leg (and sometimes also an arm). So it would be great to just make them myself (and everything will be a flattering A-line!).

from grevilleadesign at etsy

Learn Adobe Illustrator

From handmade to digital - yes, I know. But this one I want so I can do nice prints for decor and gifts and maybe eventually for selling. I am particularly inspired by the art in Anna Johnson's Savvy Chic, the art of Nick Bantock, and Barbara Hodgson. It will probably be a mix of actual handcrafted collage and drawings which will then be further enhanced and polished by Illustrator. In any case, I would like to be able to reproduce some pieces and also be able to print them in various sizes for various use.

Anna Johnson 

Well, good luck to me! On top of everything, I have to do the Other Job so I will earn money for food and shelter and craft materials. But it's 2012! It's a much better year and there are more than three hundred fresh, possibility-filled, magic-imbued days ahead! ^_^

truly nesting in

My back has been aching since yesterday. I must have strained it with three whole days spent redecorating and painting and walking long hours through shops looking for ideas and materials.

So today I decided to stay home and take it a bit easy. I was planning to start on painting my wall but I didn't want to make my backache worse. Hence after doing half an hour of yoga for back pain, I contented myself with painting smaller objects. I also got a start on fixing my kitchen cabinets and making sure that there are no old useless stuff to carry on to the new year.

My home is starting to look and feel bright. It is no longer just a waiting place, or a transition place. Regardless of how my life turns out this will be my little refuge. A place and space for creativity and comfort.

A definite good morning as the morning mail brought my Mod Podge order from Deovir.

It's orange day today. I got this pretty shade called Tiger Lily from Ace Hardware. 

This metal lamp got a bit of extra after the paint. Glittery jewels in the middle of the biggest flowers to add a bit of something.

My entrance table gets a brightening up as well so it does not melt into the shadows and the somber gray of the refrigerator (which it is actually trying to distract from).

The refrigerator gets clothed in bright stripes to complement the entrance table. Mr. Pebbleman is assigned the welcoming role.

Whole waiting for the paints to dry I started fixing my kitchen cabinets. I need to get more of those shelf helpers that let me maximize my shelf space by adding second layers. The mason jars at the top shelf are joyful finds and will be used for projects as well as some food preserves.

The mason jar box became the Mogget box.

That's pretty much what I got to do today with my back feeling bruised and beaten. I took a lot of breaks during which I read The Perfectly Imperfect Home -- a perfect match for my current activity. This book is one of my Christmas gifts to myself. I also read from Alphabet of Thorn, a fantasy book I purchased for my iPad Kindle. It's been a while since I got caught up in a magical story, I didn't realize I missed it so much.

Only two more days until the new year. I should get started on my new year lists! Maybe I'll put that on my to-do for tomorrow. Until then, savor whatever is left of this old year! Tweet