Dulcis Vita

I'm aliiiiive! I'm still on a birthday high. This week's a week of celebration, went to 3 birthday parties! Mine included. Haha. Kamustahin naman natin ang liver ko noh? Lol. So I turned another year older. 21!!! OMG. Can't believe it. Don't basag my trip okay? Hahaha. If you read my blog, you know that I often celebrate my birthday by hibernating. This year, I wanted to hide somewhere and just go on an out of town trip with Nico, but my plan changed a week before! I'd save my epic birthday party post for later, still have to collect photos. For now, here's an outfit post taken today!!! :)

Photos by Nico Arguelles. Thanks, love!

Zara top, Plains & Prints "Audrey Hepburn" skirt, Romwe bracelet, hat & heels

Baggu canvas backpack 

(watch out for my Baggu giveaway to be posted very soon!!!)

 Onecklace.com customized "Dream" necklace

Finally got my hands on Plains & Prints' highly coveted Audrey Hepburn collection! I also wanted to get the top but no size na, so sad. Huhu. The Zara top I got on sale for just P900 I think. Love the crochet detail!!! Love my new inspirational necklace from Onecklace.com! Can't get enough of these! :) I call this outfit, the vintage boho preppy witch style. Bet? Haha.

That's it for now! I want to say a heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who remembered my special day. I read all your messages and each and every one touched me talaga. Thank you. I am so lucky to still be here! Thank you so much, Lord. More years pa ha?:) I still have a pretty full bucket list. Hihi. I have always dreaded birthdays because each year takes me one step farther away from my fun childhood. But I realized, growing old might not be so bad after all, with all the wonderful people I get to spend it with. I can't bring back the past, but I can make the most out of what I have now. I am exactly where I am supposed to be and I'm super happy. :) Sabi nga ng blog title ko, "Dulcis Vita" or Sweet Life. Okay so much feels na. Stopping now. Lol. But, thank you and I love you all!!!:) Can't say it enough. :)

Gotta go! To all the heroes out there--- Happy National Heroes Day!!! Continue shining and inspiring. :) Hope you all have a great holiday! Can't wait for this hectic, madugong (literally and figuratively haha eeew) week to be over (have 2 shoots plus styling Karylle for Showtime). Then, hello September! BER month na naman! Haha. Catch up with you guys laterzzzz. xo

Life's a Peach

Have a few styling gigs booked this May and I'm quite excited to share them with you guys. Unlike last year, this year, less publications, more clients. I miss styling for magazines and Manila Bulletin, but styling for a living would do for now. Heee. I'm aiming to book more prenup clients (pakasal na kayo lahat pls hehe), more campaigns (pls Lord!), more celebrities (if I get lucky).

I still look at this blog as a sideline, a hobby, just like it has always been. I do get lucky sometimes when I nail awesome collaborations, but they are just a bonus for me. I don't know if I I'm starting to annoy you with sponsored posts or whatever, but this blog is still about me! And my crazy rollercoaster of a life. Even without sponsors, even without the perks, I would still be here sharing my life. You're forever stuck with me! Haha. Just wanted to put it out there. 

Anyway, back to styling. I have been meaning to write a blog entry about styling but I never got the chance or time.  I think it's time to post one soonest. I've recently started reading the book "Secrets of Stylists" by Sasha Morrison and it's THE bomb. I think every stylist or aspiring stylist should read it. It has given me new perspective, new hope. It has inspired me in ways I could ever imagine. I think I am driven now more than I've ever been before. So yes, expect a post soon. Here are photos from weeks ago, taken during one of our UP rendezvous. Always with Mich and my sister hehe. Shot at our apartment's rooftop and then part 2 sa UP! Blogger problems. Lol.

Binkydoodles cropped top, Tangerine Manila skirt, Meister watch, Envy bracelets, Rockport heels

How I came up with this look: I just thought the clothes (based on their colors) looked pretty together. That's it! Don't laugh at me Ana. Haha. Pardon my bilbil naman, mejo napiga ng top and skirt ko wahaha. Anyway, wore a cardigan with it but I left it out na sa photos coz hulas na hulas nako. Thanks for understanding. Haha. 

 So anyway, here's the book I'm raving about and obsessing on!

 downloaded mine via Kobo.

And this is the book I sent to Bloggers United bloggers, just in time for our June 1 bazaar! Might help you guys too:)

it's really helpful! Inspired me to organize my closet and part with some of my beloved stuff.;)

Saving up for these!

My sudden interest in fashion books stemmed from a few minutes of idle time while we were shooting at Fully Booked last weekend. We shot at this section and I got engrossed with every book on the shelf. It was a gleaming epiphany. I never really paid attention to references before. Now I realized, I should bury myself in references, learn and re-learn, if I want to venture deeper in this industry. My sudden realization made me feel new, like it fueled something inside me. It extinguished doubts (not all but most of it) I've been keeping. OA ba? Basta ganun walang basagan ng trip. Haha. I would like to thank all of you for being my shrink tonight. Haha.

Signing off now. Have an early meeting later. Can't wait to go home to Marikina tonight:) Mother's day on Sunday! Send my love to your moms!:)

P.S. Have you joined my new giveaways? Check my right sidebar. Links are there!:)

Carmine Hearts

Hello from Marikina again! Timecheck: 2:30am. I really have to sleep na, styling for ASAP later. Watch kayo ha! If bet nio lang.  Anyway, had a long but fulfilling day today. Of course I had to work (pullouts) but it was so much fun pala when your parents are with you. Hehe. For some reason they got all clingy and insisted on accompanying me. So funny coz my Dad kept commenting on dresses I was looking at, nakikistyle din. Lols. We were together the whole day and all we did was eat and eat. Also visited my ailing grandmother and watched "Olympus Has Fallen" with our adopted baby boy (who's now a teenager) John Dave and my sister too. Family day galore. Was supposed to go home to our apartment na but my Mom did the puss-in-boots technique and asked us to just stay in Marikina and just leave early tomorrow (later). So here I am in my old room with Mich and my sister who's now sleeping like babies. Haha. Enough with the rambling na, here are outfit shots from weeks ago!

Desino Dulce dress, Coloratti earrings, Asianvogue heels

Wore this to one of our national events day. Hehe. From day to night! Wore flats with the dress for the Laura Mercier event then wore heels for Bershka, TGIF and Antony Morato. Love how you could transition this dress and style it in many ways. :)

That's it for now! Will just work on more backlogs tomorrow. Have to doze off plus have to take care of our hyper dog Satu who's now nibbling on my sister's shoe. Lols. Happy Sunday!:)

Canary Knit

It's now 6am and I'm still up and watching the Big Bang Theory. I should be sleeping now since I have a 12pm dentist appointment, but I CANNOT SLEEP. So I'd just squander my time with this random outfit post. I'm guessing it's because I'm still high from the epicness that was yesterday-- Nail It event (super fun) and Penshoppe x Zac Efron fancon (which I'll blog about soon!). Here are photos from my last Archive Clothing shoot. This was one of my favorites so I asked Mich to take extra shots. Heehee.

Archive Clothing knit top/dress, H&M hat, Bubbles necklace, Mango boots

How cute is this oversized yellow sweater dress? Now I'm re-assessing, yes, as in right now, my decision to put it up on sale. I love how it's easy to wear and how I could wear it in more ways than one. Maybe I should just keep it! Or not. Or yes? Okay, I'd sleep this off. By the way, thanks to all those who bought from my online store!:) I still have tons of photos in my laptop for posting. Will work on them one album at a time (yeah keep telling yourself that girl haha). I still have UNICEF, weekend outfits, Callalily album shoot, Star Awards (long overdue),So Fab shoot, Hotel Celeste and Exchange Regency, Francis Libiran presscon at Manila Hotel, 7 For All Mankind Rockwell launch and a prenup shoot I did. Will refer to this post for my backlogs. Yes, I'm blabbing  and procrastinating and talking to myself. Signing out! Have an awesome Sunday!:) xo

P.S. Join my exisiting giveaways! Check my right sidebar!

Hello, Hello Doctor.

Been busy with events and meetings the past few days or weeks. Took a semi-hiatus on styling since it is very very time consuming and it stresses me out more than all of my other activities. I have upcoming shoots but they're mostly client shoots (paid ones if I may add haha) so yey. Because of this I was finally able to make time for a new Archive Clothing collection!:) All the clothes are ready and I'll be taking photos on Monday. So watch out for it!:)

Starting this random post with some outfit shots...(i look like a doctor noh?)

And then I tied my hair up.. Hehe.

 blazer-thrifted vintage, skirt-c/o Pirouette, feather earring - c/o CROW, red wedges- c/o Jellybean

I've had this blazer for so many months. Haven't worn it yet so I actually thought of selling this on Archive, BUT after wearing it I fell in love again. Story of our lives huh? Haha. Decided to accentuate my outfit by wearing the feather earring CROW sent. Lovin' the mix of red and whites:) And how cute are these Jellybean wedges? Nuff said. Heeh. Sometimes I still can't believe how lucky I am to have amazing items sent to me for free. I am truly blessed by the shopping gods and the real "real" God.:)

Cute pieces from Archive's newest collection to be uploaded next week!:)

found a Singapore inspired fastfood kiosk in Promenade, Greenhills! Roti Prata! Yeees.

Meeting with Depot Fashion's editorial team for our 5th issue!

my package from Bestfinds Xclusives with a surprise gift & sweet note! Love the necklace!:)

bought some food + toiletries for tomorrow's charity event with KIDS foundation!

Grab MEG magazine's August issue! Styled this section:)

This was the one I styled last July:)

so happy when I read their letter of the month--reader loved my palazzo pants styling!:)

That's it for now. Will announce the winners of my Izzo bags giveaway tomorrow! And watch out for my Big Birthday Blog Bash! 20+ brands are sponsoring the prizes. Eggziting. :) Have an amazing weekend everyone. Much love!:)

10 Random Ramblings

I had a really great chill day today. Went out earlier to satisfy all my food cravings (fried isaw, buchi, ice scramble, siomai, kwek-kwek) and thrifted all afternoon while listening to my sunshiney playlist. I went out without bathing, just because. LOL. I even ran across Ms. Athena of SM while I was eating ice scramble! :) Come 8pm, Aie came to my apartment to drop off something and ate at the cafe downstairs while we chatted to death. Mich and I headed to Gerry's Grill afterwards to satisfy my "ulam with sabaw" craving--had a huge bowl of sinigang! Fun fun day. More ramblings below...

1.) Found the perfect flat ankle boots! Lookie...

 2.)I'm already building Archive's upcoming collection. Take a peek see on some items!

maxi skirt, orange shorts, salmon skirt, tie-dye shirt

floral blazer, polka sheer sleeves dress, yellow pussybow top, white s/s blazer

3.) More shoes...

Payless is on sale!:)

4.) New blazers I bought from an Indonesian online shop & one of my foreign blog friends!

buy from http://riotsbarbie.tumblr.com/ (her blazers are cheaper than those on ebay!)

5.) I'm ready for a new tattoo...right side lower abdomen this time?

 

ambigram of saint/sinner. new tattoo design! *from Bullseye Tattoos

6.) I also recently updated my Blog Shop and will be uploading more items soon! I'm just waiting for our lights to get changed so I can take photos of the other items.

now selling my yellow blazer & chilli margarita ankle boots!

7.) This came in the mail months ago but seeing it still warms my heart. 

some sample greeting cards  and my unicef card:)

8.) I'm joining the Port 88 bazaar on September! This time I'll be sharing a booth with Ana, Melai & Aie. Some of you might remember that I joined the 1st one last year (see blog post here). It was a success and it became a huge blogger's meet-up. That is where I first met Ana, Melai, Lloyda, Bestie, Kookie, Kryz and a lot more.:) We're already planning as early as now. Guys, please come and support us. Hehe.

photos from Port 88 bazaar last year:)

9.)FEATURES! Thank you so so much:)

 Philippine Star-Call it Spring

Inquirer - SM Accessories event

Philippine Star - Freeway x Sionil Jose

read

read (thank you Kira!)

so honored to be a nominee. vote for me? or the others?:) Click HERE. :)

10.) Going to the derma tomorrow! I'm itching to see her--literally & figuratively. My Atopic dermatitis had worsen. I've had this since I was like 3 years old. Aside from my steroids (cream) & virlix party, my derma told me to only wear jewelry above 10 karats (very specific ha! hehe) and to relocate to Switzerland where it's cold (specific nga). It acts up when it's too cold & when it's too hot. Bipolar lng? Haha. Anyway, my derma is one of the best in the country--and her rate's not high. When I was a kid we went to like 4 dermas (including Imelda Marcos' derma at Makati Med! sorry parents if I made you poor), but it's only her that made it go away, not permanently, but for years (it's on/off). Will try to take photos tomorrow! PM me if you wanna know her clinic and contact.

--I still have so many things to share with you guys, but I'll save that for another post. Heh. Must rest in a bit. I also have a children's party to attend + a videoke night with HS friends tomorrow. It's gonna be a looooooooooong Saturday. As for you lovelies--have fun, have fun wherever you are!

P.S. Don't forget to join my LORYS & Izzo bags giveaways!