New school, new friends, new life

    The last two months of 2012 was the busiest months I've had since I came back to college to finish the last three semesters of my degree.

    Busy for the documents for transferring to another school (by which, apparently, still on process), but I am able to enroll to another college school. Busy working for Big Boss (which is father) as her auditing/marketing/production assistant which makes me, again, stay away from the web.

    Going back, I have to transfer to another school. This time, not in a university, but just a college school. Anyway, I am thankful that I am able to study again and finish my degree.

    I met new friends and are very understanding and has a good personality amid their pasts, they stand strong and inspires people—inspire me.

::Gladys::

    ::Gladys::, a returning student on the same course, is so pretty and has an inspiring story that has shared to me; I am not in the place to tell what it is, but it is something that has tested her faith and loved her husband even more. I saw their pictures on Facebook and the way that she describes to me her husband every time she opens her notebook with his picture in it in front during class makes me say: "I wish I could meet the lucky guy". They are very lucky to have each other.

::Marivel and her sister Marites::
My shot :) at Madagascar
Christmas adventure

    Down to earth and a real description of "Dalagang Filipina" and "Maria Clara" is ::Marivel::. She's from Samar and an Octoberian student. Same as me, this is her first semester at the same school and I feel blessed to be with her because she resembles my old time friend, Rea. They have the same characteristics. She makes everyone smile, effortless.

      Lovely as she was named, ::Lovely:: is a true lovely girl with a unique charm and simplicity in her own ways. We are in the same Entrepreneur class, just one subject, but I think we have spent half of our days together chatting about our past universities. I think we are bound together because we share the same situations—stopped for two years and returned as transferred students.

::Study Harder!! lovely in her term papers::

     Though, every day was very tiring—physically, these people who are making me happy in every single ways and enthuse me to make my daily living more splendid. I hoped to have more wonderful days with them.

Back to blogging--with a new life

    Happy new year everyone! It has been months since the last time I posted something here. The last two months of yesteryear was the best months I've had for the year 2012.

    I continue studying my degree, although I had to transfer to another school. Returning to school this time was the best timing since I think I had nurtured myself from other things that has nothing to do with what I my degree scope is. Two years away from school have been a very long time of learning, maturing and making one self intelligent enough and responsible for making decisions and actions. I saw the great difference from what I am two years ago and what I am today, and I can see how gaining confidence and using it in a good way out stand myself from others.

    I met new friends and build a good reputation in my new environment; since I promised to myself that this chance of returning to school will be the time that I will start to live the life that I wanted--with freedom to choose and follow my dreams as I go with the flow of life.

    I hoped this would be the start of enjoying myself and loving the life that I have and say that “I live my life the way I want, just laugh and smile for the good and even the bad things that will come and live longer and make this world a better place”

    Happy New Year!!!

Halloweeee!!!: Spooks and scribbles

    Just lately, I had been into scribble drawings. It really makes me feel awful, it's hard to make something that's out of your line. I'm more of perfectionist in terms of my artworks and this one becomes a challenge for me.

    Scribble drawing is more likely a child's drawing and that's what I've been trying to do for the past years which I can't apply my being perfectionist. I do understand that it is the imperfection that makes the scribble drawings even more beautiful and cute, but my hands can't understand that thing.

Spooky Halloween from your Vampy bunny

    Anyway, I'm subscribe into ::Scribblegraph:: on Google+ and I found his works very cute and the quotes about love is so much are inspiring. They are having their website launching this coming October 31st (yehey!).

Artist of the week: The late Isabel

    This week's my favorite artist that suits the Halloween season.

Source: Multiply TLI band members

 
    Hypnotic, dark and Gothic, The late Isabel's music scheme is one of the Pinoy bands that surely leave the spooks under your skin. If you're looking for some music to set the mood into a misty and spooky atmosphere, their haunted and enthralling albums 'Doll's head' and 'Lackadaisical' are the best to listen to this week.

Photo caption from their song "My favorite things" music video

 
    Wawi Navarroza (vocals), JP Agcaoili (drums), Roval Bacale (bass), and Allan Hernandez (guitar) had brought the stream into a fresh sound to the Filipino music scene. 'Doll's head' is their first album that was released in 2005 and 'Lackadaisical', limited edition CD with four (4) tracks was released last year, April 2012.

Visit their official page at:
::The Late Isabel on Facebook::
::The Late Isabel on Multiply::
    "My favorite things" was the first music video that introduced me to The late Isabel band way back late 2005 (MTV was still available at Philippine free TV that time) and that was also the year when I was slowly digging into the inner me and pulling out the darkness in me...

An inherited furniture especially made by the late grandpa

    One of the best and my favourite wooden furniture that my late grandfather, Elesio Sr., had made was the king sized bed with a fascinating wood carved design. Isn't it sweet?

    My grandfather was a woodcarver, furniture maker and a musical instrument maker. He has a great hands and amazing talent that I really adore (thank God I had inherited his talent, except for the passion for playing musical instruments which my younger sisters' inherited talent).

    I always sleep at my parents' room during weekend afternoons together with my younger brothers and sisters right after we had pillow fights. When we were younger and my grandfather was still with us, we used to draw and do crafts in this bed. I remember one time that I accidentally spilled a red paint in the bed and my mama got mad at me and mama didn't make me a chocolate drink for almost a week (Ha ha).

 

When creativity strikes: Angel's sorrows Illustration

     I have been busy for sketching instead of reading the book that I bought recently. I already finished the last of the illustration that I've been working for the past few days just before I got my day off.

     Took a picture of me, naked, just to get the right angle and the right position of shadows, but nothing had worked out. So I had to hire one of my friends to do the posing and draw a figure of her on the spot. We had to do the sketching things just before dawn.

It looks good when in sepia brown mode

     A long time of getting myself in pieces and got inspired again, improvements appeared day by day. Actually, it took me a week to finished a whole pad sketch.

    I was trying to make a better style of the flooring, but it always looks worse than the first, so I ended up making a simple flooring (that I don't know if it complements the picture). I don't know exactly why I choose the title Angel's sorrows for this piece. I just felt unease, somehow depressed and a bit awkward when I first tried to put myself into something (maybe because of that Cyber crime law that really seems to be my major concern during past few weeks), into a certain topic that I could put into my sketch pad.

::Angel's sorrows::

Book hopping: Some meditation and investigative book

   Yesterday was my day-off (no school, no work, no household. Yey!) so I had to enjoy the moment to be free and took advantage of it to hop on some of my favorite bookstores.

   It took me three hours to look for what I really want to sit in for the rest of the week. I ended up with this two books; The Calling by Inger Ash Wolfe and Practical Meditation with Buddhist principles.

    Although I my leg hurts during my long search for these books, it is really worth the pain (naks!).

    Actually, I am fond of reading psychological, investigative and comic books. Comic books because that's my way of studying different techniques in sketching and making figure sketching; Investigative instead of romance (romance novel is not my type); Psychological because. . . I don't know exactly why, but it seems informative and very useful to me, especially when I'm in the middle of a group conversation and I could use what I had read. That is why I really love reading.
 

Well written, inspirational quotes and phrases.

    There are some poetry that are written in this book, Practical meditation. Very inspiring.


    My sister ::Elena:: started reading this book, The calling. She said, it is very well written and another page turner book. She's already in the middle (She's a speed reader).

A dash of Herbal medicine and investigative writing
 skill that stops every reader's heart.

How to use a handy sewing machine

Unlike other branded handy sewing machine, this one is not that complicated to operate.

Accessories:

1. Needle threader
2. Small spool pin
3. Thread 

 Watch the video below to know how to operate this type of handy sewing machine.

Cool parents are cool

   "Cool parents are cool."

   That phrase has been into my mind five years ago, several months before I entered college. Actually, I don't know how to start and connect that phrase into what has been rolling in my mind.

   I had encountered a Social Science professor before from the university where I studied Hospitality Management. Every first day of a new semester, he always asked the students to how was their daily life inside their home and describe their parents in front of the class.

And as usual, they describe how persevering, caring, loving their parents are. Some describe themselves as the rebel kid, some are the brats and some are the breadwinners and the parents' apple of the eye.

   But in this kind of conversation inside the class, you will know who value the relationship inside the family, who know the meaning of the word "home" and the people who know how to understand their parents.

   Every child stands for everything-freedom, independence, self expressions, etc., but not all the kids, especially nowadays, can do everything they want inside their own home. Instead of having the self contentment and happiness, they look outside their home and satisfy themselves (friends, work, hobbies, etc.). 

   Some students are open to the idea of a solid friendship inside the home, just few students are close to their family and most choose to get much closer to their friends instead of their brothers/sisters or parents.

   And in this kind of conversation brought me into the realization of how lucky I am at home.

Together forever

   I know that we weren't a perfect family and both my parents has been into a not-so-good past, but that doesn't mean we can have a happy and festive life.

   I am much closer with my family instead of my friends, not because I am not that friendly, but because I just felt more freely to be me than with my friends though I am always been pressured at home.

   "My parents are cool."

   That's how I started my speech in front of the class when it was already my turn. I remember I was the only student who describes parents the way like I was just about to describe a friend.

   They are cool, for real. They are more likely a friend a parent. They are not as complicated and strict unlike others.

   Where would you find parents who buys a gaming software, not because you asked to, but because he wanted to get the trophy first before you? They are is super cool as always. He supported my brother's addiction to online gaming in a good way he can, and now my brother is a less addicted to gaming because he always lose when papa joins the game. They are supportive as always. He supports our craziness as well. Sounds crazy? It's like when you were tripping with a friend.

    The realization during that moment was the best part of being me, knowing that I value my family the way I value my life and everything that's important to me and the presence of a strong communication and bond between us kids and our parents.

    They are the best friends in the form of parents.
 

Shopping & bonding time

    Last Wednesday, I took advantage of the opportunity to ask my sister to come with me and go shopping for a day. Actually, I was asked by my father to buy materials he needed.

From Balintawak to C3

    After one and a half hours of traveling under the heavy rain, and after we purchased what we actually came for we rushed to the mall to check what's new.

    Every time my father asked me to buy materials needed for the products we sell, I always go to malls, especially Victory Center Mall, and buy something interesting, and this time I'm with my younger sister.

10 pesos store

   We've been into this 10 pesos store. I love this store. Every items were so unique and affordable. I know there are lot of 10 pesos store everywhere, but this store is the best because above all the store with the same theme, it is the only that differs from the others because of the interiors they have and the sales personnel are friendly and they won't welcome you with a frowning face. Their store is always crowded (you could already imagine like you were in a sold out concert because of the overwhelming crowd).

    Checked out this 50 pesos belts and Neon frames. The buckles was really good I wanted to buy one for my younger brother the next time I go there. The sales lady in this shop was so jolly I forgot to buy what I was about to buy and got all the attention to her.

fashionable price: Belts for 50 pesos

Nice buckles

Frames in neon

    I passed buying through this ship. Their items were pretty good, but I don't like the sales personnel here. I know it is not good saying something bad about somebody else's store, but if you were in the good mood and you were like in the mood to buy whatever you are going to see, you might have a change of mind if you saw a sales personnel frowning at you and showing you how bad his day is.

   The flops they're selling were good and suitable for the rainy days.

    We've finished shopping for almost an hour. Good thing is that the mall was about to open when we arrived that makes it easy for us to walk around because the mall wasn't still crowded.

It's still early. It'll be crowded afterwards.

    She bought a charcoal pencil, a spray bottle and an earring while I bought nothing. I just don't feel spending much during that day and because I was the one who paid all that she bought -_-. It doesn't matter, anyway that has been a good day that we had a chance to bond together.

Turon

Turon is one of the superstar meryenda of Filipino that is served every afternoon. The sweetness of the saba banana and its crunchy golden fried rice flour wrapper is perfectly match every smoothies on a hot afternoon. 

Makes 4-5 servings 

Ingredients: 

• 10 pieces Saba
• 1 tanda or 10 pieces Lumpia wrapper
• 1/2 cup sugar
• Cooking oil
• (Optional) Additional fillings: Ripe langka/jackfruit & Strawberry

__________________________________________________________

Tips:

You can add the sugar as a filling to give an extra sweet taste and skip the 4th and last step on the procedure; or (If avoiding too much sugar,) remove the sugar from the recipe and skip 4th and last cooking procedure

__________________________________________________________

Procedure:

1. Wrap Saba and other fillings with lumpia wrapper.
2. In a deep fryer, pre-heat oil.
3. Fry the wrapped saba until it turns into golden brown.
4. In a pan, put a small amount of oil then add sugar, stir until caramelized.
5. Put all the fried saba and stir until it is equally coated with sugar.
6. Serve.
7. Perfectly paired with mango or four season smoothies or iced tea.

Silhouetted Candle display

Materials:

Empty glass jar
Diff. kinds of Ribbons
Candles (Scented; optional)
Special paper (optional)

Procedure:

1. Tie a ribbon in the middle of the jar. 
2. You can also layer ribbons with different sizes. 
3. Place the candle inside the jar.

If using a special paper:

1. Cut the paper with the size fit with the diameter of the jar.
2. Fold the paper into fourths and draw different patterns. 
3. Cut and trace the patterns. Unfold. 
4. Place the paper cut in the middle of the jar. 
5. Instead of sealing with adhesive, tie a ribbon on the top of the paper and jar.

Beef tapa and malunggay pasta

 Kids are always hard to feed nutritious foods, especially vegetables. Why don't make a bit of a trick through this delicious pasta dish fortified with nutritious malunggay

Makes 1 serving

 
 
Ingredients:

• 250 grams Fresh Malunggay pasta, boiled aldente
• Beef tapa
• Olive oil
• ½ cup Tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ¼ cup chopped carrots
• 1 tbsp. red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• Medium size onions, chopped
• Chopped parsley
• Ground black pepper 

Procedure: 

1. In a pan, put beef tapa and a small amount of water to make it more tender. Cover and let it boil. 
2. Before it becomes dry, add spoon full of olive oil and fry both sides. Set aside. 
3. On the same pan, sauté garlic, onions and red bell pepper. 
4. Pour tomato sauce and add pepper. Let it boil for a minute. 
5. Plate pasta and add the beef on top. You can also cut the beef in stripes before adding on top. P
6. our the sauce on the dish and garnish with parsley on top. 
7. Serve.

Friendship labels

    I was redecorating my room lately and I was forced to remove all the old stuff inside my old closet to move the closet on the other side of the room. I have this kind of behavior of checking on the things that I was removing in one place, though I had seen them for so many times. And, that always took me a long time to finish doing this removing thing and putting them back together.

    In the middle of the clutter and mass of clothes, an old box caught my attention.

    It was the box that I was about to give to my high school teacher, but I refuse because of the cuteness of the cover and the effort of making it.

    As I recall, I made it five years ago, I was on my third year in high school during that time. It was just made of thick cardboard connected by adhesive, which is why I never wondered the moment that I lift it up and the lower part of the box was already detached.

    It was full of my high school memories and the best thing that is inside this box are these dangling charms and friendship bracelets.

    The bracelets and charms were made by Jho's mother; Jho is my long time and one of my closest friend. On time, she came with a bag full of it in her hands and gave us these. Aside from her closest friends, she also gave some of it to all the other girls in the class.

friendship bracelets

    These reminds me that it was the year (the only batch), for the very first time that everyone was so close to each and it feels like we were brothers and sisters and everything was just full of fun. Though other people thought we were a class chaos, we stand up and showed our ingenuity to the people.

    But between these beautiful charms and bracelets, my favourite was the red dangling charm with my nick name on (which, actually was my initial). I think of it as my lucky charm. ^_^ I just use it in times that I'm in a risky situation.

My favourite dangling charm

     Gladly, (I think) it really helped me a lot because it makes me think that I'm not alone. That I'm with my friends, cheering me up. I hope they remember me and the other girls and also the friendship we had during those times every time they saw these wonderful charms.

The Filipino meal: Breakfast or Almusal

   The best part of the day as an ordinary Filipino citizen was the breakfast or almusal. The ultimate power meal that will surely delighting every pinoy's morning.

Coffee - First and always on the list. Just a cup of hot kape ("Kape" is the Filipino term for coffee) always brighten the day. Kapeng barako of Batangas and Kapeng alamid are some of the best and high quality coffee that are loved by Filipinos.

Photo source: The pinoy warrior

Sinangag - Leftover rice from last night's dinner, fried with garlic sauteed until golden brown and onions and simply seasoned with salt, sometimes incorporated with other ingredients such as celery, onion sprigs, chopped carrots, green peas, etc., Sinangag or fried rice can be eaten even without side dishes.

Photo source: Pinoy cook

Daing & tuyo - Daing na isda (cured and dried fish) and tuyo (dried fish) is the best partner of sinangag. Commonly served as fried. In some provinces, they boiled it with herbs that are present in their yards such as saluyot, malunggay, sili, etc. The most commonly known daing is dinaing na bangus. Daing na bangus (milk fish) is marinated in salt, vinegar, ground pepper and finely chopped garlic and set aside for a matter of hours or even in days and served fried.

Longaniza - Longganisa or langgonisa? Smoked, chicken, skinless or garlicky? From vigan or iloco, lucban or pampanga, doesen't matter how you say it, no matter what flavor it is or where it originates, it is still the same sausage every Pinoy loves to pair with sinangag in the morning.

Photo source: Visit Pinas

Egg - Some like it scrambled, some like it boiled, but some like it on top of TAPSILOG.

Photo source: Pinterest

Kakanin - On the go? Kakanin are easily found in every corner of the streets in the Philippines. Heavy, sweet and in different kinds, kakanin is not just for breakfast and snacks, but also the superstar of Pinoy fiesta.

Photo source: Visit Pinas

The SI-LOG - TapSiLog (tapa, sinangag, itlog) is the most common among the combinations that are considered the all-time Filipino favorite breakfast. Sinangag at itlog (fried rice and egg sunny side up) paired with other different fried dish

Here are some of the Si-Log combinations:

• LongSiLog (Longaniza, sinangag, itlog)
• DaSiLog (Daing, sinangag, itlog)
• TuSiLog (Tuyo, sinangag, itlog)
• HamSiLog (Ham, sinangag at itlog)

TapSiLog

From old piano/keyboard stand to a artistic drafting table

    From the clutter at the stock room, I found an old Piano/keyboard stand that had been there for almost five years. Good thing is that it hadn't been covered with rusts although it has been stocked there for many years. It has a good quality of coating that preserved the metal for over the years.

   Since it is my responsibility to make use of the things that I refuse to give away. I decided to turn it into a drafting table.


   Using some scrap woods and my small knowledge in carpentry, I made a board and tucked with a wood screw underneath where the keyboard was placed and put a long piece of wood in front as a support. 

   For the board, I used a felt paper as a wood cover instead of applying a varnish. I did some Paper cut design covered with a colorless varnish below the drafting area to make it more stylish and not just as a plain drafting table.

Too much of the designs for inspiration

Flor de lis... Close enough

Trying to capture the gloss

Paper Cut designs as a decorative peice of art

   While surfing on the waves of clutter, another idea from the childhood landed on my mind when I saw my old art book (thank God it is still in good condition and not have been dined with termites). Paper cut was the best part of my art projects when I was in 5th grade.

   There are a lot of tutorial on how to do this paper cut art so decided not to make one.

I am so impatient on making patterns, but not on this one ^_^

    I found it very useful for a decoration, here's how I imagined it to be displayed at home:

1. Under the glass table.
2. Framed and displayed on the wall.
3. Notebook cover.
4. Furniture design.
5. (Insert another creative design here)

    Actually, I had been used this paper cut deign for my drafting table which looks pretty cool every time I touched it. I was planning to buy a special paper and cut beautiful patterns in it and replace my mom's paper cut decor under her antique glass candy container that she displayed every new year.

Patterns. . . I wonder how pros do those much amazing paper art.

Sopas

 In every carenderia, served hot, sopas (Filipino term for "soup")is always present and is the best dish to start the day of an early bird Pinoy.

Makes 4 servings
 
Ingredients:

• ¼ kilo elbow macaroni
• 1 cup shredded carrots 
• ¼ cup chopped onion & garlic
• ¼ kilo of shredded cabbage
• ¼ kilo of ground meat
• Chopped celery
• Oil for sautéing
• Salt and pepper 

Procedure: 

1. In a pan, sauté garlic and onions in oil.
2. Add meat. Stir until slightly brown.
3. Add carrots, celery and macaroni.
4. Transfer into a boiling pan and add water.
5. Let it boil unlit the soup thickens and pasta turned aldente.
6. Make-it-more-Pinoy tips
7. Since Sopas is commonly ordered by kids, local Filipino restaurant or carenderia overcooked the pasta. 

 

Christmas decor from old jogging pants

    I was busy lately, enjoying the pleasure of surfing, literally, over the clutter on our stock room (everything-from childhood until present-is still there, with spider webs and dusts)
 
    I found my old school pants for physical activities. Ah, the atmosphere was so nostalgic. It has been there for almost 4 years. My mother wants to get rid of all the stuff there by donating all of it to make the room functional. But I refuse not, what a very sentimental lady, it is hard for me to let go of things that are part of me especially, my childhood.

   


From an old pants, I made myself a very own Christmas decor. I also made a tutorial that is posted at my Youtube account. I'm not a professional at making tutorial, so I give my best on making the video easy to understand.

Christmas Decor Video tutorial

Procedure: 

For the petals:

•  Cut a pattern of leaves and petals into a hard paper.
• Trace the pattern into the red cloth for the petals and green cloth for the leaves. 

• Make 6 pieces or 3 pairs of bigger petals, same number of pieces with the smaller ones, then cut and sew.
• Cut a smaller version the pattern for the smaller petals.
• After sewing, fold the petals inside out.Fold the petals into fourths.
• Connect each by sewing at the bottom end of the petals.
• To give an illusion of wider petals, sew in between the sides.

For the yellow balls: 

• Cut 3 pieces 2x2 inch square of yellow cloth.
• Use small pieces of cloth as a filling to make small balls.
• Repeat step #5 (petals) to connect the balls.

Layering:

• Layer the petals; put the smaller ones on the top.
• Then add the yellow balls on the top of the petals and sew.
• Arrange the leaves; do the same pattern as to the petals.