Girls Talk - Fave Gift!

Oh, I hope Niko dear won't kill me for posting this too late. I am so sorry but I am not one to renege a commitment so here is my very late post on Thursday's GT topic.

I have received so many gifts in my life that if I account for each and everyone of them, I may take several posts to do that. However, there is one very close to my heart... my hubby's birthday gift to me when I turned 30 many moons ago.

He gave me a diamond pendant chain. It's one of the few jewelery I have which I guard with my life. I rarely buy myself something very valuable so this gift is special.

Instant Christmas Bowl Lamp

Need new Christmas decorations at home but you're strapped for cash? Don't fret! There's a solution for that.

If you have an old fish bowl (without the fish of course!) and some tangled and old but working Christmas lights that you want to throw but can't (because you have this inner voice telling you not to...hehehee) then follow what I will have to say.

• Clean the bowl with slightly damp newspaper. Here's a trivia, damp old newspaper cleans spots better than those chemical induced glass cleaner sprays in the market!
• Test your dangled Christmas lights if they are still working. If you need to replace some busted lights, do so.
• Place the tangled Christmas lights inside the bowl.
• Place the bowl on top of your coffee table or on the side table or even in the middle of your dining table!
• Keep an extension nearby if you don't have an electrical outlet near the bowl.
• Plug and switch on! Presto!!!

You're instant Christmas Bowl Lamp... Did it cost you that much? I don't think so :)

Enjoy your new and very easy to make Christmas Bowl Lamp.

Welcome My New Blog!

After so much deliberation, I decided to create another blog to showcase my handmade cards which I will eventually turn into e-commerce, barring any circumstances.

Please welcome my new blog - Handmade with LOVE.

What's in store for everyone in this blog? Well, I will showcase my handmade cards, custom cards and special requests and probably some of my polymer clay tinkering with my daughter.

I will also provide tips and how-to's and if I become a bit of a whiz on multi-media setting, I may also feed some video tutorials.

So, please pass by and leave a comment or two. I would love to hear from you.

To Travel Soon

I was supposed to go to San Francisco with my hubby and daughter today for the long Eid holidays but due to lack of time and not to mention funds and leave credits; I had to bail out.

I just dropped my hubby to the airport an hour ago for his flight and I really, really wanted to go. Sometimes I ask myself, why I am always stuck here when I can go? The answer always boils down to lack of leave credits. I wish I had many!

One might wonder why at this time of recession, we can still have the opportunity to travel. Answer to that is because we get discount airfare being airline staff. We only pay minimal fee for the ticket price. Also, we get rebate tickets from other airlines and avail of their cheap flights too.

There is a downside to being a staff too. We get very low priority in check-in because of our ticket cost. Most of the time, we even get bumped-off in preference to a paying customer. Well, I have had my share of bump-offs and I am certainly used to it.

Working in the airline industry is probably the best for people who is on the go and likes to see the world like we do. We get many travel advisory from other countries and offers on various destinations guide. We may not be paid well as compared to other companies but combining all the free and discounted ticket fares and special airline staff rates on most destinations and hotels, I think it is really worth it!

So, I may just travel again this January to New York. I have always dreamed of seeing snow so that time will be the best time to travel during the cold season. Anyway, I love cold weather! Big Apple, here I come!

Thankful Each Day

Sometimes, I tend to overlook the simple joys life has to offer. I often focus on the pain but never realize that these pains actually make me stronger. It's the obstacles I face which make me a better person. For that, I am very thankful for every blessing and even trials which come my way. I know HE lets me go through life's rough patches to prepare me for the better things in life. The best is yet to come...

I am thankful for my family who loves and support me no matter what. I am truly grateful for the wonderful friends (be it online or blogging pals) who make my life so much meaningful and colorful. I am thankful for the good health, the roof on our heads, the food on our tables and the wee money in our pockets.

I am thankful for everything. I am thankful for this life.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

I Want a Rug for Christmas

Just like Princess Jasmine flying on a magic carpet, I want a rug that will give me the same feeling by the mere presence of it in my abode.

I have always been a rug lover. I loved having carpets and Rugs at home because it makes the atmosphere cozy and warm. Aside from that, I want to kick off my shoes and slippers at home so I can walk barefooted and feel the rich texture of the rug on my feet. Having a rug or carpet will be my solution to that.

There are many rugs to choose from and I am quite particular with the design and price. Most rugs here in the Middle East are rather exorbitant due to the fact that some of the expensive rugs here are made of sheep's wool, silk or cotton and those are hand-woven. The carpets or rugs here are have intricate designs which I think is more suited to a luxurious hotel lobby or restaurant but not for a small home like mine. So, having a Persian Rug at home is not on my Christmas budget because I cannot afford it. I do not mind having Cheap Rugs at home as long as the design is within my preference. I like something that is not too bold or loud in color. I prefer the earth tones for my Area Rugs. A little tint of yellow and maroon hues will also be acceptable.

We just have one small area rug at the moment and it is mid-range in price. The design is simple. It is a rectangular rug with black border and beige center which looks very neat in our small living room. I want to have another rug as replacement if we need to have the other one cleaned.

My husband and I have been rummaging the web and some stores in the area so we can buy a rug to put in the living room before Christmas. I hope we'll find one!

Loooooong Weekend Ahead

I did not spell the long wrongly :) I am just stating a very happy fact that we will have 5 days straight holiday due to Eid Al Adha. So, tomorrow's the last day of work and I am cooking up nice ideas and projects to make over the weekend.

Speaking of projects, my handmade cards are making a buzz in my circle. Some people are already asking for custom-made handmade cards and managed to sell most of my work already. I am still having a hard time figuring out how much to charge because I am doing this for the sheer fun and passion but at the same time, I want something to at least support the passion.

I have no plans of travelling this week or the coming month. I decided to cancel everything and just focus on some "me" time.

Well, I can't wait for the weekend so I can dig in my paper craft. I have orders to fulfill!

Happy days ahead! Have fun everyone!

Efren Penaflorida - The CNN Hero of the Year 2009

I posted sometime back about the nomination of Efren Penaflorida for the CNN Hero of the Year 2009. I am very happy to know that he was chosen as the CNN Hero of the Year.

His noble gesture to help the street children through education has given hope and light to them. I salute you, Efren, for a being role model to our fellowmen. Your kind gesture and altruistic intention to serve your countrymen is something to be emulated.

Congratulations to you and may you continue to spread your good work. Congratulations too to all the nominees of the CNN Hero of the Year 2009. You have all made a great difference in this world.

Handmade Wedding Card

My colleague will soon tie the knot. I am not really sure what she likes for her wedding so I decided to make a card for her. As usual, a handmade with love kind of card.

I used a champagne bottle template and traced it on a card stock. Then I used patterned papers from http://www.making-handmade-cards.com/. I love the way the doodles are done on the patterned sheets. Looked so whimsical and I love whimsical stuff!

I also used ribbon rosettes and flat-back pearls as embellishments. The cork-like top is a scrap of card stock which I distressed using Jim Holtz Ranger Distress Ink to make it look like a cork. Well, I hope I did justice on that one :)

I just wrote the sentiment using a slightly pearlized felt pen. I couldn't find my glittery gel pens so I settled on this one. I outlined the words with a fine-tip permanent marker to bring out the letters. I used the remaining piece of the card stock as mat for my card's sentiment. It i glued to the card with square foam adhesives for the 3-d effect.

I used shiny ribbon for the bottle and the bucket too. Speaking of bucket, the champagne holder is also made from scrap card stocks. I glued two of them but left the back bare (I couldn't use too much patterned paper or else, the entire design will look too loaded and I am trying to avoid that). For me, simplicity is still the best. The slit is about 6 inches and .5 cms so I can slightly tilt the bottle-card. The tag is one of the flower-doodle patterned papers. The tiny flower affixed to it is a ready-made foam sticker I bought for my scrapbook stuff many moons ago. I have finally found a good use for it! The back of the card also carries my trademark logo - Handmade with Love by Ria Cervantes.

It's a blank card so I can write my sentiments inside. I wonder what to write though...

Hope you like this creation. It's made out of love.

Girls Talk - Fave Pastime

I have to say, my favorite pastime is my arts and craft session. I am more geared to tinkering on polymer clay and making handmade cards.

Second favorite thing I do is blogging and I am glad I did this, otherwise, I wouldn't meet lovely people like the ones in my blogroll. You all know who you are :)

Apart from the above, I guess you can squeeze Facebooking (verb for using Facebook all the time...LOL). I am so addicted to it that I ask most of my friends and relatives to add me up. So pips, add me up!

Want to know more of other blogger's pastime activities? Check out Niko's blog.

Where To Get More Stuff?

My momentum is on over-drive regarding my handmade cards craft. I was just thinking a while go where to get more stuff to create more cards. I don't know if I will make a profit or not but I love to be able to support this hobby and passion in some means possible.

Dubai is not really a haven for scrapbookers and crafters like me. There are only 2 shops here which sell embellishments, patterned papers, glues and other tools needed for the craft. The other stationery stores carry office supplies only. I am so tempted to buy online. The dilemma!

Beeping Loot

I was a bit upset last week when I went shopping with my daughter and brother in one of the recently opened malls here. I bought 2 blouses for office wear and some card-making craft. I noticed that each time I come in and leave a store, my shopping bag would activate a nerve-wreaking alarm that was not only irritating but seriously embarrassing for me. One guy even joked "so they caught you huh?" The nerve!

I realized that no matter where I go, the scanners would set because the lady where purchased the blouses did not remove the tag bearing the bar code with one of the shop's barcode scanners.

I have never been so humiliated in my life! Next time I buy something from that shop, I will make sure that the tags are literally cut from my goods.

Check My Handmade Cards

I have started making handmade cards recently and so far, I have sold 2. I have advertised my craft yet because I am still wondering if my work is good enough. This is when doubt hinders my limitless growth.

I showed my work to my friends and office mates and they said they were great and looked professional. However, I view it plain and simple. I think beauty really lies on the eyes of the beholder.

Here's a sample of my cards:

And this is my fave because it's my first paid work. It is a customized wedding anniversary card.

Pimple Gone Amok

I posted an article about my daughter's skin condition just few days ago. Imagine a "pimple with a forehead." Got it? Yes, it is that bad considering her age. She is only 11 and yet her forehead seems to be having a community of pimples. Her puny pimples look like prickly heat on her forehead. Of all the place to manifest itselt, it has to be on her forehead!

I told her that drinking plenty of water, eating vegetables and having a good sleep is nature's best acne treatment.

I Will Lose It

I am so happy that I lost around 2 kilos the past week. I have been very diligent with my portioned-eating and food-journal activity. I also engage in regular exercises like walking our dog and running. I have also incorporated short bursts of mini-exercise in the office. During break time, I sprint towards the loo rather than just walking. When my bosses see me and ask why, I just tell them I am desperate to reach the loo fast!

Drinking tea has helped as well in cleansing my body of toxins. I drink tea instead of sodas and never use sugar. Some of my friends who lost weight fast have included apidexin in their diet. I am considering the intake of supplements but I want to check with my doctor first.

Modern Day Dating

I reminisce the time when I used to date (of course, I was still not married to my husband then) and get pampered silly. I didn't have too many admirers like how my sister had tons and tons of them. However, my suitors were the persistent kind. They would never take "no" for an answer. Much as I rue the fact that I had to meet them for a casual date, I must admit, I still had fun. Fun in a sense that I got to know the person more and realized that there were so much more beneath that "rough" exterior.

Dating was more of an obligation I had to meet then. I didn't find myself that interesting to be pursued. So, I preferred going out with my friends and just chilling at Greenhills or malling. My mom would often tease me for having to lock myself most of the time in my room, head under my favorite books - text books, while the rest of teens my age would party and date like crazy. I know, boring. I get so conscious when I go on one-on-one dates because I felt dorky. You see, I was never given the gift of gab. Talking to someone and trying to hold the conversation for long was such a feat.

Nowadays, dating has taken a different turn. People sometimes don't meet in person. They do it online via the Internet through the visual aid of the web cam. I wonder if the girls these days get flowers and box of chocolates from their suitors. Hmmmm?

Having Insurance

I used to work in one of the leading international insurance company many years ago. I am familiar with the terminologies but not by heart. I remember reading tons of insurance policies coming from our insurance marketing department. They were very keen on wordings, terminologies, and clauses (you know, those fine print that one should never, ever miss to read and understand!). Although my understanding was not extremely in-depth but I always make sure that when hubby and I purchase insurance, we always read the fine print and everything from top to bottom, front to back.

Girls Talk - Fave Chocolates

Sorry Niko dear but I am not that much of a chocolate lover. In fairness, I do consume once in a while, chocolate cake and some chocolate goodies. My favorite is the premium Swiss chocolate - Lindt specially the Lindor. I just love them!

(Photo source: Lindtusa.com)

Burn Baby! Burn!

Before you think ahead, no, it's not my rendition of one of the popular songs of the 70's. I am talking about wanting to burn belly fat. I have gained significant amount of weight during the past year and I am slowly shedding it off. Like the adage goes, slowly but surely and that is what I am doing right now.

I have been regularly walking my Millie and running at the treadmill at least twice a week for half an hour. My weight budges ever so slowly probably because my metabolism has slowed down due to age. Anyway, I have kept track of my eating habits and what I actually put in my mouth every meal. I must say, this taking down notes on the food I eat really works like a charm because whenever I am about to take chips and sodas, I am reminded of the kind of food entry I will put in the diary and that is bad! Shame on me! So, I stick to this practice and I am good.

Handmade Greeting Cards

I am venturing into the handmade cards craft these days so I don't get to blog as often as I used to. I just can't seem to keep my hands off on the beautiful scrap papers, embellishments and other materials around me.

I made several Christmas cards already and will post pictures soon. Today, my colleague commissioned me to make their 14th wedding anniversary. I didn't give a price but she left a money on my table ;) She said, "I hope I'll be the precedent and more customers will follow." I hope so too :)

Maybe I can open my own Etsy account one day. Cross-fingers! And toes!

New Birthday Theme Layout!

So, do you love my new birthday themed party layout? Well, I DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks Kaye! I am so happy with the way the design came out. Sorry if I was being a bit of a diva and finicky but I just want my design to last.

I am so happy with my new layout! It's so happy like me! hahahaha.... Thanks again Kaye and job well done!

The Subscriber Cannot Be Reached

Too many phones in my mom's house but I cannot even reach a single one. Either the phones are busy or they are off. I am getting restless and a wee impatient after calling my mom, sister and niece's cell phones countless times. All I get is that monotonous recorded message from the communication provider which says "the subscriber cannot be reached, please try your call later." Arggghh!

I chat with my mom and other relatives on a Friday since it is my off. This is the only time I can spend tete-a-tete time with her without any interruption and where the charge rate is lower. Unfortunately, I think her phone ran out of charge or she left it somewhere. Oh well, I guess I will have to "try again" later.

Circus Camp in December

When I was young, about 4 or 5, I remember jumping around, doing cartwheels, splitting and bending my body until I reach the floor. I was very flexible and quite puny so my mom thought of enrolling me to a gymnasium class. Unfortunately, due to time constraints and probably lack of fund, that dream went down the drain.

Now, I see my dream in my daughter's eyes whenever she watches those ladies doing ballet, somersaulting gymnasts and the acrobatic acts of the circus performers. She is lanky and very petite but I find her tall to be actually doing those stuff. I know she wants to do some of the acrobatic tricks because she loves cartwheeling when she was younger.

Maybe I will check out the circus arts camp in New York this December. That will be a great opportunity to show her around the summer camps Westchester area. My cousin lives in New York so I think a drive to that place will be a bonus attraction to my daughter's Christmas wish this year.

Well, I know it's winter and all but it's not bad to think about the summer camp activity my daughter may engage in the future. Who knows, she may just decide to study in the US and take up the summer camp westchester fun!

Beauty Tip 101 - Hydrating Your Skin this Winter Time

We cannot deny it but the weather is starting to get cold. Our skin will start to suffer from lack of sunlight and having to spend time indoors. Indoor atmosphere is rather dry because of the heating unit and that sucks out the natural moisture both of our skin and the air. To avoid the dry spell on a cold, blistery weather, drink a lot of water and slightly reduce your heating unit.

Girl Talk - Fave Drinks

Life's simple pleasures are something that I like the most. When it comes to drinks, the ubiquitous Iced Tea will do the trick. I am not much of a soda nor alcohol drinker. I just love the easy to prepare iced tea.

Want to find out what others are drinking? Go check out Girls Rule!

Make Me Slim

I have tried many kinds of weight loss programs in the past and none has been successful in keeping the weight off. I am partly to be blamed because my determination tank is not really full.

Many weight loss programs claim instant weight loss of 20 kilos in 3 weeks but I think that is not very healty. I mean, losing weight swiftly can pose a detrimental effect in one's health.

I am going through a lot of websites on proper nutrition, exercise regimen, dietary supplements including alli reviews which can aid in my weight loss program. I am giving myself another half a year to really lose weight for good and I hope I don't falter now.

Built to Last

I have been waiting for the day to move to a new place my family and I can call home. This has been home for us for the last 10 years and I cannot see ourselves getting rewarded for our sweat and labour.

I have discussed this with my husband and he is very supportive. We plan to migrate to the US of A barring any circumstances before I turn 45. We have taken a lot of matters into consideration like the state we will call home for the rest of our lives, the kind of community we want to live in and the type of home we can afford. I think it will be best as a starter to check on several models of manufactured homes built to last. I found some lovely one-storey types with a nice patio. I am already imagining the design and the garden. It is so nice to dream, isn't it?

In Case of Emergency

I am a member of our company's Emergency Response Unit . We regularly have simulation of events where we play the role of telephone agents providing information to the affected families. Every year we go through emergency response training and phone-answering skills to equip ourselves in the event of a real emergency.

Almost 2 weeks ago, I received a text from our unit's emergency alert system about a situation I need to attend to by driving to the nearest assembly point. My heart pounded because I was not sure if the call was for real or just one of those emergency drill. Few minutes later while I was ready to drive to the nearest assembly, I received another text that it was just one of the drill to see how quickly the volunteers would respond to a real-life emergency. Whew!

Fashion 101 - The Tuxedo

Party invitation is just around the corner with the upcoming holiday season. Some of this events will be formal so one is expected to dress to the nines. For us ladies, finding a remarkable formal wear is not an easy task. We need to consider the materials and the cut and of course, the weather. Whereas the gents just have to choose between a coat and tie combination or the tuxedo.

Tuxedo is a timeless and classic formal wear. The coats and tuxedo pants can be made from polyester or polywool blends which are both affordable.

Some Cleaning To Do

My husband is due to come back this Saturday and I have few days to go to clean up. I have been slacking a bit lately. I am still not feeling well and my body aches like crazy. I can only stand up to post few notes and get myself a decent meal then I am back in bed.

The house is not all that messy anyway. I just have to do some mopping and sweeping. Although the kitchen walls need a lot of scrubbing due to the grease and grime of countless cooking. I would definitely need a heavy-duty metal scrub to do that. Maybe an Anilox roll will be the answer to that or a maid?

All I Want For Christmas...

I know, there is still recession and money is scarce and the budget is so tight that buying myself an iPhone will be a lucrative "want." Hey, I can dream, right?

Ever since the iPhone came out of the market, I have been dreaming about owning one. I do have iPod Touch and the 1st gen of iPod but nothing beats the features of the iPhone. Imagine having an iPod and mobile phone in one? That's a great deal! Apart from the great features, there are plenty of iphone accessories to choose from like the arm band phone holder which will be very helpful during my running session. I am keen to have one. Maybe not this Christmas but that is all I want. Oh yes, add world peace to that!

Made of Steel

Not my heart, I can vouch for that. Well, I was just going over my friend's photos of her newly built house. I was quite amazed by the progress and building materials used to construct her bungalow in one of the residential areas in the Philippines.

I remember watching my uncle and his staff construct our own house while I was young and noticed that the materials used then were different from the materials I have seen from my friend's photos. Her construction materials were mostly metals which you normally see on steel buildings. There were only few wood used. Wow! Times have changed and gone are the wood foundation you use on the roof. It is all steel, steel and more steel.

Zapped to Life

I have never seen a medic using an AED in real life. I see this machine in action only in movies and TV shows. Deep inside, I would really not like to see one being used in real life because that would mean a person is down and is being zapped to life. That is quite a traumatic sight to see. I think it will leave a stigma to me for the rest of my life.

That must be one of the reasons I did not pursue medicine. I don't think I can see life and death in a more scientific way. These two will always have a spiritual meaning to me.

Not so Well Again

I have been under the weather for the past few days. It must be the change of season because most of my officemates are either coughing, sneezing or bugged with a flu. Recently, my daughter caught the bug, then my hubby and now it is me.

One thing I really dislike when getting the flu is how awful I feel and look. My hair is a mess; my flannel pyjamas which I always keep at the back of my closet have to be worn; I have a dark circle under my eyes; my nose is runny; my voice is a bit hoarse and my whole body and joints ache so bad.

Happy Halloween 2009!

I hope everyone is having a great time trick or treating. I just wish we have Halloween Trick or Treating event here so I can go out too and have some fun! I'll probably dress up our cute dog Millie as a Princess. LOL!

For our Halloween project this year, apart from the mini Jack-O-Lanterns made of oranges, my daughter made some Ghosts lollies. She used white cooking chocolate, choco chips for the eyes and barbecue sticks as lolly handle. Spookilicious!!!