some polka dots i spotted...

And since we're on the subject of men wearing pink...

What do you think? Does your man wear pink? Would you like him to?

Well, if mine did, I'd be stealing that gingham button-down! :)

Photos from i'm just saying.

clothesline art

Who would have thought arranging the colors of clothes hanging on your clothesline could look this beautiful? I've always thought clotheslines filled with clothes were unsightly. But maybe if I keep the hanging clothes monochromatic? Imagine a clothesline filled with just your camel, khaki and brown clothes? Or just your navy and white clothes? Or, if you have these colors in your closet, a clothesline arranged according to the colors of the rainbow like this photo? Click here for my first Rainbow Art post.

Photo from greenweddingshoes.

Color Obsession: Soft Teal

I am loving this light teal color these days. There's something about it that's both vibrant and calming. Much like what life ought to be.

Love, live and laugh. Fall in love. Explore the world. Find tranquility. Laugh with a friend. Make life worth watching.

Photos via a life more fabulous, everythingfabtumblr, a cup of jo, hanneli, stopandpicture, Vogue, greenweddingshoes. Quote via heritage.

through thick and thin

thick rings... thin rings... which do you prefer?

photos from garance dore.

Whimsical Wednesday!

It's the middle of the workweek again. Break the monotony with some color and creativity. Take inspiration from this whimsical architecture from Emmanuelle Moureaux.

And don't tell me your office is too conservative and serious to accommodate some playfulness. These buildings are of 2 different branches of the Sugamo Shinkin Bank in Japan. If a bank can look like this, your work can take a little whimsy today. 

I love that even the interiors of these banks are whimsical. Check out the ATMs at the Niiza branch.

And the colorful chairs at the Shimura branch.

And the doors to the offices in the Tokiwadai branch.

Have a whimsical Wednesday!



Today, I am loving... Fave Dates

Today, I am loving... my new daily dates with my daughter.

I remember the days... thirteen years ago... when this mother was born the day my daughter was born... when 'girls night out' turned into 'girls night in' like this one...

When she turned thirteen last August, she somehow imbibed the teen stereotypes overnight. For one, she started keeping to herself. My once bubbly, enthusiastic chatterbox turned into a quiet, one-word-reply teenager! When I came home from work and asked how her day was, she'd give a "Fine." No matter how much I probed, the best I would get out of her was "Nothing (special)." Then recently, I conjured up Fave Date - a daily date to update each other on our most favorite moment of the day. And she transformed before my eyes! She now tells me about her favorite part of her day so excitedly. I love seeing her eyes dance as she chatters away sharing detail after detail of the best part of her day.

My bubbly baby girl is back!!!

   



















Photos (of someone else's daughters) are from i'm just saying.

bookshelves that made me smile

Organizing a bookshelf has never been this entertaining! Oh, and the ultra-long credits because of the gazillion books on the shelf also made me laugh!

(edit: Sad, the video is gone from YouTube.)

Someone did the same on his own bookshelf. Isn't it just lovely?

Can you find what makes this bookshelf so interesting? :)

Someone brought their bookcase to the beach! After all, doesn't everyone bring a novel to the beach?

Hope these bookcases made you smile too!

Photos from heritage and ainsley with love.

of prayer & action

A different version of "Do your best and God will do the rest" or of our own "Nasa Diyos ang awa, nasa tao ang gawa" (Mercy is up to God, action is up to man).

It sums up what I need to do as I begin my adventure today. Get down and pray, then get up and work.

And while we're on the subject of God, isn't this the prettiest legend for the many books in His Word?

Photos from FromAinsleyWithLove.

some polka dots i spotted...

Today, I am embarking on a new adventure. It will take me to uncharted waters so I am filled with both excitement and trepidation. But am powering through anyway. In a polka-dotted scarf, of course!

Photo from everythingfabtumblr.

edges with an edge

It's all in the details... If I remember my Home Economics Sewing class correctly, the details I am loving in these pieces from various Resort 2012 collections are called "piping" or "bias". I know. When I put it that way, it loses the sophistication which I am actually attracted to in these pieces. Crude as they may be called, the basic sewing tool of a "bias tape" lends an elegant finish. Truly, they provide the edges - whether they be on a neckline, or the waistband or the opening of a coat - a sophisticated edge.

I personally love this floral Tory Burch dress, this Chanel cover-up and this long Reed Krakoff dress with a red cord-belt matching the "piping" at the neckline.

What about you? Are you biased to any of the bias-details here? :)

Photos from Vogue. Layouts by moi.

my own "i love you to the moon and back"

This is the most touching children's book I know. It's the story of Little Nutbrown Hare, who wanted to show his dad, Big Nutbrown Hare, just how much he loved him.  He stretched out his arms as wide as he could, but was topped by dad when he stretched his longer arms farther. The two then banter back and forth, stretching out the amount of their love all the way until Little Nutbrown Hare finally falls asleep and dad whispers he loves him all the way "to the moon and back".

This story never fails to melt my heart. I love how Little Nutbrown Hare is asleep, thinking he had the last word with "I love you to the moon." when Big Nutbrown Hare whispers that poignant "I love you to the moon - and back." That perfectly captures the truth about a parent's unconditional, usually unnoticed, love for his child.

I have my own version of this these days. My sweet but strong-willed 6-year-old son always has to have the last word:

Me: I love you.

Noah: I love you too.

Me: I love you more.

Noah: I love you the most.

Me: That's impossible!

Noah: Nothing's impossible for Animal Mechanical (a regular line in this Playhouse Disney cartoon).

And he gets the last word because no matter how many times we go through this dialogue, it always, always amuses me that he's quoting his cartoon show, so I just end up laughing. But if he only knew, my heart whispers, "Animal Mechanical or not, I love YOU the most."

Photo

some polka dots i spotted -er, googled...

Okay fine, they're NOT polka dots. They're power pellets.

Last Wednesday, Google changed its logo to mark another significant event (the summer solstice) and this reminded me of my most favorite Google doodle, the playable Pac-Man game that replaced the usual Google logo on May 21, 2010 to commemorate Pac-Man's 30th anniversary. I had so much fun playing the game like I used to in the 80's - with the arrow keys (somehow, I can't seem to score as high on my iTouch. Eeep, does that show my age?).

As I was searching for the event that Google Pac-Man logo was celebrating, I found out that it cost the worldwide economy millions of man-hours that day - haha! I also came across this article in The Telegraph where I discovered that if you clicked the insert-coin-button twice, you could play a two-player game! With one player taking the role of Miss Pac-Man and controlling her with the W, A, S, D keys! I was mighty dismayed when I found out that I missed out on the 2-player opportunity (with Ms. Pac-Man at that! Aaackkk!)...

... until I discovered the Google Pac-Man logo is still accessible and playable here! What fun!

And how fun are these other Google doodles?

Discovery of the X-Ray (November 8, 2010)








 Samuel Morse's birthday (April 27, 2009)

Sesame Street's 40th Anniversary (November 2009)

 

I love that Cookie Monster's eyes form the letter O's. And the bites on the cookie letters! Hehe.




Of course, The Count gets numbers as his Google letters!

Les Paul's 96th birthday (June 9, 2011) merited an interactive Google logo that allowed users to play ten notes on the electric guitar (which he pioneered) by hovering the mouse over the guitar strings.

This doodle was not only playable, but also recordable by clicking the little button. Jammers not only got a playback but Google also provided a sharable link. Since the web was flooded with recordings of songs Google users played on it, Google decided to keep this doodle alive here. See how your songs compare to the greatest hits from the Les Paul Google doodle here.

Total Lunar Eclipse (June 15, 2011). As I was writing this post, my son spied this logo and exlaimed, "Transformers Dark of the Moon!" One-track-minded, isn't he?

 And how can I write a post on Google logos without including this one made especially for us on June 12, 2010?

You'll find these photos and more on Google Doodles.

a different kind of windshield art

This time it's not a paintbrush and dust that makes art on this windshield. Click here for my first Windshield Art post. It's dollops of paint arranged according to the colors of a rainbow and a windshield wiper. 

Doesn't this just make you smile? 

Hope the weather is drier today so your windshield wipers can get whimsical like this. Have a colorful, happy weekend!

Photo from A Cup of Jo.

Color Obsession: red

Louboutin chose red because "it is engaging, flirtatious, memorable and the color of passion." So true. Imagine the impact that majestic red Carolina Herrera coat had on the runway. Or Karlie Kloss' stunning red Lanvin gown.

Even the Resort 2012 collections showcase bold red passion pieces...

As Bill Blass said...

I realize though that I have nothing red in my closet. I'm not sure I'm ready for a solid, completely red dress. But I am quite smitten with the peekaboo red of this Carolina Herrera gown...

I hereby resolve to begin with a red accent this week. Perhaps a red belt or purse? Or maybe a red slip?

Or even a hat? Can you feel the wind of change blowing?

Okay, I couldn't resist to slip in another of Jamie Beck's moving photos. :)

Photos from From Me To You, I'm Just Saying and Vogue.

bed weather

Don't you wish you could just stay in bed the whole day today?

Well, thankfully, he can!

Photos from heritage and stopandpicture. Diane Kruger by Matt Jones. Justin Timberlake by Terry Richardson.

some polka dots i spotted...

I call days like these Plueys days because I get to wear my pretty Plueys! Ever since I got them 2 years ago, I feel invincible in the rain - unperturbed by any downpour. It's a liberating feeling for someone who used to hate the rain. Now, I look forward to rainy, er-Plueys days!

Of course, floods are a different story. Wishing you a flood-free Plueys night!

Get your own Plueys and celebrate the rain via Plueysmanila. Photo from greenweddingshoes.

tips from the dinner table

Setting the table is a chore that preschool kids can do. These dinnertable guides help make it fun and educational. You can go for an online-store-bought one like the get-set placemats, or the cute DIY-templates from Martha Stewart, or really do it yourself with manila paper and some markers. The USDA plate guide (which replaced the old food pyramid guide) is also interesting to guide us when preparing our kids' (and even our own) food portions. My all-time-favorite dinnertable guide though is the hand sign. "b" is for bread plate and "d" is for drink. I still use this today (of course, I keep my hands concealed under the table or on my lap) so I don't end up drinking from my seatmate's glass or using his bread plate.

Enjoy your dinner!

Photo credits: hands, placemat, placemat, placemat, placemat, my old Martha Stewart Kids magazines

Today, I am loving...

Today, I am loving these square bangles and bands. Wouldn't it be an interesting angular twist on one's wrist and finger?

Photos from everythingfab.

Whimsical Wednesday!

For some reason, this photo reminds me of Tangled, Disney's 50th animated feature film. It's not just that the cascading train reminds me of Rapunzel's long hair. Or that the woman in the photo looks like she's in Rapunzel's tower. It's also because there's something so ethereal and romantic and whimsical about this photo that it reminds me of a fairytale like Rapunzel.

And isn't the middle of the workweek so apt for this Tangled song? After all, by Wednesday, it would be the usual morning - and afternoon - lineup at work, right?

7 AM, the usual morning lineup:
Start on the chores and sweep 'til the floor's all clean
Polish and wax, do laundry, and mop and shine up
Sweep again, and by then it's like 7:15.

And so I'll read a book
Or maybe two or three
I'll add a few new paintings to my gallery
I'll play guitar and knit
And cook and basically
Just wonder when will my life begin?

Then after lunch it's puzzles and darts and baking
Paper mache, a bit of ballet and chess
Pottery and ventriloquy, candle making
Then I'll stretch, maybe sketch, take a climb,
Sew a dress!

And I'll reread the books
If I have time to spare
I'll paint the walls some more,
I'm sure there's room somewhere.
And then I'll brush and brush,
and brush and brush my hair
Stuck in the same place I've always been.

And I'll keep wonderin' and wonderin'
And wonderin' and wonderin'
When will my life begin?

Hope your workday isn't as "full" as Rapunzel's! And in case you're feeling stuck like her, play this song. I absolutely looove the melody. Singing it in my head instantly makes me happy.

Doesn't it make your day light, happy and fanciful? Have a whimsical Wednesday!

peace in bustling new york

Yes, I've shown you this photo before. But, how can I not include the magnificent NY skyline in this post about New York?

The subtle movement in these photos from From Me To You give a certain calmness to the bustling activity that is typical of New York City. I feel like I'm watching New York in a silent movie. With movement limited to just one element - the passing taxi, the train, the man reading the paper amid a motionless backdrop, New York is graced with a serene quietness that is so uncharacteristic, yet quite fascinating.

Truly, Jamie of From Me To You is an exceptional artist, not only because of her fabulous photography, but also because she has turned animated gif into wondrous art that evokes profound new meaning versus a still photograph or even a full-fledged video. Incredibly remarkable! 

My favorite is the train which Jamie has aptly dubbed, "The Neverending Commute". What about you? What's your favorite?

of books & authors

"Become Someone Else" is a print ad campaign of Mint Vinetu bookstore. "When one reads books, he starts living it and identifies (or not) with the main hero." These print ads provoke people to try on different personas by reading more.

Truly, a book transports its readers to a different world, maybe a different time. This post honors writers I know from the past, present and future.

Past. Today, on Dr. Jose Rizal's 150th birth anniversary, isn't it just fitting to start with his...

Present. I am so proud of Filipina Samantha Sotto who wrote Before Ever After, a novel that is soon to be released internationally! She just recently came home from Random House Publishing in New York with a photo of her novel's hardcover mock-up...

Before Every After follows the story of Shelley, a young widow who discovers that her dead husband may in fact be very much alive - which would be wonderful if the bearer of this news wasn't her 32-year-old husband's 32-year-old grandson. Shelley's search for answers takes her from revolutionary Paris to medieval Prussia to ancient Venice, and finally to a place where she discovers whether love is truly everlasting. Follow Samantha Sotto in her countdown to her debut novel's release via www.theslightdetour.blogspot.com.

Future? My then 12-year-old daughter wrote this short story for her Literacy class last year. This was her very first draft and yet, I was so moved...

DEPRESSION

I'm walking through a long corridor. I've been walking for hours. Finally, I see a door. When I open it, I see a girl crouched down, hugging herself. She stands up. Her back is to me now. A voice fills the room. "Have you ever been depressed?", it says. I answer in a meek voice, "Yes." The voice comes again. I listen to it intently and realized something. "Are you sure?", it says. I realize that the voice isn't just sad. It's dead. No emotion. I can't answer. The girl in the middle of the room starts shaking. I hear a laugh. An evil laugh. Like metal, or nails scratching on a chalk board. Yet, this sound, this laugh, is lifeless. Like it was just put on, not real, fake. The room turns red. Red as blood. The girl slowly turns. As she does, the voice says again, "I have been very depressed. Depressed enough to hurt myself." The girl is now facing me, but her head is tilted down. I can't see her face. I notice her black hair like mine. She seems old enough to be my age. I wonder who she is. "Do you remember what I said? I was depressed enough to hurt myself." I didn't understand. She lifted her head. She had scratches all over her face. They looked like nail marks. She was bleeding. This wasn't the worst part though. After studying the marks on her face, I looked at her eyes, only to realize she had none. She had gouged her own eyes out! I couldn't speak. I lifted my arm to touch her and she did the same.  Perfect synchronization!  But when I touched her hand, I realized, I was looking at a  mirror...  

I WOKE UP SCREAMING.

Photos from blackeiffel, Wikipedia and slightdetour.