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THE SUNDAY CURRENTLY - BALLET MANILA FINALE

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We just got home from the finale show of Ballet Manila's Cinderella. It was absolutely magical!

Summer looked uninterested in this photo. However, the truth behind the picture is that she was so interested. She was clapping and cheering during the performance. I was too shy to request another photo to capture her smile. There were still people in line and the dancers need their rest as well so we gave way to the person next in line. There will be a next time and I am claiming that.


I am currently...

reading an email sent by my husband. He's coming home! After almost 4 months at sea he's finally coming home and it will be his first ever Christmas in the Philippines and his first Christmas with our baby as well. So exciting!

writing an email to Globe Telecom to document the conversation I had with the customer service representative. A couple of days ago I received my broadband bill and it was already opened. The edge was cut with a pair of scissors so I felt the tampering was really intentional. I was a little bit miffed and at the same time scared. On hindsight, what would they benefit from opening a utility bill?

listening to the Ballet Manila Cinderella playlist on Spotify. I'm not over the show yet. Really happy as well that we were able to meet Lisa Macuja and the rest of the main characters after the performance. Great job Ballet Manila. It was indeed an awesome show.

thinking of enrolling my daughter in a toddler ballet class after watching the show. I used to dance ballet when I was in grade school but my training was just basic. I think it would be a nice discipline for Summer to learn. I hope she likes it! Although I think she's more inclined into the physical stunts like handstands and roll overs and jumping up and down the trampoline.

smelling Gucci Envy on my wrist. I love the longevity of this perfume.

watching vlogmas episodes on Youtube.

wishing for a warm venti toffee nut latte to fall in front of me right now. This is serious craving y'all!

hoping that my credit card replacement will arrive this week. I had to have it replaced because a crook tried to shop at Selfridges London using my credit card information. Good thing my bank was able to flag the transaction and they called me immediately to verify if I made the purchase myself.

wearing leggings and short dress. I have not outgrown my maternity fashion. LOL!

loving the taste of the coffee crumble ice cream I ate a few minutes ago. I love the nutty texture too.

wanting to start drafting my year-ender blog post but I don't know where to begin exactly. Maybe I'll just highlight a few wins and losses or maybe write a rundown of the monthly important events. I don't know. I'll sleep it over and see what I'll decide to do tomorrow.

needing to accomplish the year-end inventory for my organic bath and body products business. I have to finish it before we go on vacation. Ugh! So little time, too much to do!

feeling a bit overwhelmed. I can't believe 2016 is about to end. A few more days left in the calendar before 2017.

clicking through Youtube sites (while fighting back my sleepiness).

If you have a blog and you want to let us in your Sunday, join us. Here's my old archive of The Sunday Currently. If you want to join us, click here or here.

I hope you had a wonderful Sunday!



6 BEAUTIFUL HANDWRITTEN FONTS TO TRY

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When I published an article showcasing free holiday fonts to try, I received quite a few comments and I am encouraged to share another set that you will surely love. Most of the fonts I am going to share today are free. How cool is that?


Ain't these fonts super nice? These could be handy for romantic wedding invitations, feminine logos or any project that is intended for someone who likes a handwritten feel to it.

I have French Bakery used in several logos as well as in a TV show. Fun Fact: Bonjour was the reason why I signed up for an account in Creative Market. It was love at first sight to say the least. I've seen this font used by Bench in one of their cologne packaging. Dear Amelia is a font that I would use for a children's birthday party or maybe a bridal shower while Bougenville would be ideal for a wedding invitation because of its romantic swashes and standard ligatures. Lemon Tuesday is a fun font for signages or labels. Which one caught your eye?

YOU CAN FIND MORE CREATIVE FONTS HERE




Please watch out for the monthly calendar that I will be releasing through the newsletter. Enter your email address and get the design goodies absolutely for free every month.

WIN A TRIP TO ICELAND FOR TWO

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Yes, you read that right! You can win an all-expense paid trip to Iceland ($5,000 VALUE) for two this December. If you're feeling lucky why not participate in this fun contest? Every day leading up to Christmas, you have the chance to win daily prizes (ranging from Icelandic chocolate, wool sweaters, mittens or several designer goods, etc)  if you answer the trivia question correctly and you have a valid and working email address.

Dohop.com has just won a World Travel Award as The World's Leading Flight Comparison Website and to celebrate this award they would like to treat a very lucky someone flights for two nights in an Iceland hotel along with activities and fun things to do.

The contest is open to ALL humans age 21 or older at time of entry. That means if you are a Filipino and you're reading this right now, don't hesitate to join because you have ample time to apply for your Schengen visa should you win. ASK ME HOW YOU CAN APPLY FOR A SCHENGEN VISA 

This giveaway is sponsored by Dohop.com and the super lucky winner will be drawn on December 27.





All photos featured in this blog post were downloaded for free from Unsplash. Unsplash is one of your best choices for free (do whatever you want) high resolution, high quality photos.


THE SUNDAY CURRENTLY - TAKING A BREAK

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I'm writing this in a new couch but in a familiar room. We're on our second day of our staycation and I'm enjoying it for the most part. Taking a break away from the usual corners of our house allows us to come back with renewed energy. I think  I'm about 80% recharged at this point. How random! But yes, I do advocate taking a rest once in a while because it allows us to clear our minds and thus we become more productive, more motivated, more in-tune with ourselves. I initially contemplated of not bringing my laptop with me but I need to finish a few projects and I can't afford to postpone my target completion date. It would have been more ideal if I used this staycation to completely unplug.

Our first night in the hotel was paid for by blogging. How? Read this.


I am currently...

reading a book that I bought months ago. I am one of those who buy several books at once and then read the book one at a time. And of course, I love having books on standby.

writing a revised version of my resume. I'm planning to apply for some part-time jobs online so I can make use of my extra time. I just hate being unproductive and I don't want to be stagnant. I want to keep learning. I don't think I'd be able to work full-time even at home because that would be spreading myself too thin.

listening to the news on TV even if I'm not looking. We're not in a suite so we don't have a separate living room.

thinking of what to do for my daughter's 2nd birthday. My biggest problem is the venue and I have not made up my mind yet. However, I am seriously considering having the party in an orphanage. I think it's a good way of giving back but I don't have any contact yet. If you're reading this and you know someone who works for an orphanage in Metro Manila (preferably in Makati), please let me know so I can discuss my plan to him/her.

smelling Le Labo body lotion. It's quite heady and strong but I've grown to like the smell.

watching the news indirectly. I just glance on the TV's direction when I hear something interesting.

wishing for the hours to go slowly. I don't understand why time passes by so fast when you're having fun!

hoping that it won't rain today. The clouds look really heavy and about to fall. Sigh!

wearing PJ's and cami. So comfy!

loving the Fairmont gym. I've been there this morning and I plan to go back again tomorrow. I think I need to enroll in a gym again. I really shouldn't be putting off losing my postpregnancy weight. I'll be sharing clips from the gym in one of our vlogs. VIKTORIASUMMERTV

wanting to have more stayctions in the future (a weekend is just too short) oh and of course win the all-expense paid Iceland trip.

needing to go to the dentist really soon for my semi-annual oral phophylaxis session.

feeling relaxed and well-rested. I had 8 hours of sleep last night!

clicking through nothing. I just aim to finish this blog post and stay away from the internet until tomorrow. Haha!

If you have a blog and you want to let us in your Sunday, join us. Here's my old archive of The Sunday Currently. If you want to join us, click here or here.

I wish you all a wonderful week ahead!


SCRIPT FONTS TO USE FOR YOUR NEXT PROJECT

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I really love the responses I received for the previous articles I shared featuring fonts that can be used for holiday projects as well as a list of my favorite handwritten fonts. I, myself, love discovering new fonts especially those created by homebased artists. There are a lot of them who set up shop in Creative Market (my go-to design repository).

Today I am really excited to share with you a few fonts that has been filed under my favorites list and that has appeared in several of my projects over at KT Paper Designs (Instagram and Facebook). Most of these fonts are great for wedding invitations or personalized greeting cards as well as logo creation. Email ktpaperdesigns@gmail.com if you wish to partner with me in creating custom/bespoke paper goods.

SCRIPT FONTS TO USE FOR YOUR NEXT PROJECT



Did you find any that you would like to use for your next project? My favorite in this set is the Lady Love font which I bought for a steal at only $15. It comes with 285 glyphs. How cool is that? I have used it for greeting cards, branding materials as well as the design of my new business card.

If you have favorite fonts that I have not featured yet, please feel free to share so I can check it out as well. Discovering new fonts are is one of my guilty pleasures nowadays apart from beefing up my Pinterest profile because quite frankly I have ignored it for the longest time. If you have Pinterest boards you want me to check out, please feel free to leave your links in the comments field. 

YOU CAN FIND MORE CREATIVE FONTS HERE

Please watch out for the monthly calendar that I will be releasing through the newsletter. Enter your email address and get the design goodies absolutely for free every month.

PRAGUE IS ON MY MIND

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Before my husband returned from his almost four-month stint overseas, I already started planning for our Netherlands, Germany and Denmark trip. A few days of him being home and we're scratching all the planning that we have started because now we're going to PRAGUE! Whoa! I didn't see that coming. Prague is in my bucket list anyhow so it was easy to set aside what was already planned and switch to an entirely different country. I'll still save the initial plan because I might travel with my college friends so I'll keep it handy.


OLD WORLD EUROPE

Prague maybe old but it has a lot to offer - from Romanesque rotundas, Gothic towers and cathedrals, Renaissance town houses and palaces, Jewish synagogues, Baroque churches and monasteries as well as Cubist and Art Nouveau monuments. I would love to explore the cobblestone-laden streets, the parks, and other places teeming with history.

One of the symbols of Prague is the Charles Bridge. The bridge has spanned the Vltava River since 1357. During the 18th century the leading sculptors of the time decorated the bridge with beautiful statues.


I'm sure Summer and I would enjoy feeding the swans and ducks near the bridge as well.


Here are the places/tourist attractions I have included in our itinerary so far: 

Charles Bridge
Prague Castle - the biggest ancient castle in the world
Old Town Square
Vyšehrad Cemetery
Letna Park
National Monument
Old New Synagogue
Prague Zoo - for the little one's entertainment
National Gallery
Milunič's and Gehry's Dancing House
Žižkov Television Tower - with crawling babies on the side 



This is Parizska Street - shopping district!


ACCOMMODATION IN PRAGUE

I am considering to book an apartment which is centrally located in Prague. I've found a few options in Airbnb and I've created a wishlist already. I'm going to trim my list in the next few days. I'm choosing Airbnb for this trip because I wanted to have the option to cook just in case our stomachs won't agree with the Czech cuisine. I would however still try what the city has to offer.

I noticed that Airbnb rental is not that expensive in Prague as compared to the listings in Paris or Amsterdam. That's a great plus to my planning as early as now I suppose. Check out the listings in Prague by clicking the photo below and let me know what you think:


I would love to rent an apartment located on a higher floor of a building so I can take wonderful expansive photos like this.



If you have been to Prague and you are reading this now, please let me know what your recommendations are (must-see, must-try, must-go). I have about six months to plan this trip and every time I see a picture I get more and more excited. I'll keep you posted of my planning progress through my The Sunday Currently posts. 

Note: Photos in this blog post were downloaded from Picjumbo. If you want to see more photos of Prague, be sure to sign-up for premium account. Links in this post may contain affiliate links. The panoramic shot of Prague was saved from an online source (if you own this photo and you want  to be properly credited or want it removed, please let me know)


UNBOXING: BDJ X CELETEQUE ELITE BOX DECEMBER 2016

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I have just received the December 2016 BDJ Box Elite and I was really surprised at the sheer number of Céleteque products inside the box. The box contained 15 products and all and I'm so thrilled. Good thing I postponed buying make-up products for myself because I anticipated the surprise inside this month's BDJ Box. This is my first ever Elite Box because I cancelled my subscription to the regular box when we flew to Denmark and I wasn't wrong in signing up again.


I spent Php1,480 to get this box but I got more than what I paid for and that's a good thing right? I think I have only bought a few items to add to my makeup bag this year and nothing more because I didn't really feel the need to hoard on so many makeup products when I rarely go out and when I do go out I prefer a little to no makeup on my face as possible. I think I did my skin good this year somehow. I just need to be more religious and consistent in applying moisturizer and sunblock. I am really delighted to receive  this box because Céleteque promises to provide everyday makeup that cares for the skin.


Céleteque DermoCosmetics is a collection of everyday makeup that cares for your skin. It perfectly blends the enhancing touch of dermatologically-tested, hypoallergenic cosmetics and the nurturing and protecting benefits of expert skin care. With Céleteque Dermocosmetics, you can complement your skin care routing with coverage and colors that protect and nourish your skin. - Céleteque Dermo


Let's get to the unboxing shall we?


The contents of the BDJ Elite Box for December 2016 are as follows:

Céleteque DermoScience Advanced Anti-Aging Cleansing Oil (50ml) Php249
Céleteque DermoScience Hydration Hydrolyzed Moisturizing Mist (50ml) Php150
Céleteque DermoCosmetics UltraNourishing Lip Lacquer (1.6ml) Php645 x 3 shades = Php1,935
Céleteque DermoCosmetics Moisturizing Lip and Cheek Duo (1.6ml) Php665 x 2 shades = Php1,330
Céleteque DermoCosmetics 24-Hour Photoready Matte Primer (15g) Php825
Céleteque DermoCosmetics 2-in-1 Eyebag Miracle Kit (6.4g) Php745
Céleteque DermoCosmetics Eyebrow Defining Kit (3.3g) Php600 x 2 shades = Php1,200
Céleteque DermoCosmetics Longwear Eyeshadow Palette (6.5g) Php725 x 3 shades = Php2,175
Céleteque DermoCosmetics CC Microhydrating Powder (10g) Php930


The box came packed and it did not disappoint. I usually am very critical of the boxes I receive so you best believe that I am surprised with the fact that the money I spent multiplied inside the box.  Everything inside this month's BDJ Box is a full-size product. Total value of the box is Php9,539!!! Can you believe how much I saved? Totally worth it!

Just like the other Elite Boxes in the past, the box came with these information cards. Really handy if you ask me.


Even if I did not get any of the matte lipsticks, I don't think I still have the right to complain. I'll probably just go and buy a couple of shades to satisfy my curiosity. If you have tried any one of the 6 shades of the Céleteque matte lipsticks, please let me know what you think of the product by leaving a comment below. I'd love to read your reviews too so please feel free to leave your blog links if you wrote about it.

If you want to subscribe for future elite boxes, visit the BDJ BOX website for more details. You may also opt to subscribe for the BDJ Box Luxe for Php3,750 if you prefer branded products such as this Elizabeth Arden box:



OPPO F1s: HOLIDAY GETAWAY

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Okay, where do I start? Do I start by telling you how I wanted so bad to getaway from the daily trappings of my everyday life or to get away (so far away) from the daily heavy traffic of Metro Manila or to just getaway from our comfortable yellow couch? Getaways, mini-vacations, staycations - you name it - we all crave for it and we all need it and the good news is that health experts strongly suggest for all of us to go on a getaway to improve our health in many ways.

Now that the year is about to end we need to ask ourselves how often we went on a break to allow our human batteries to recuperate and recharge? Most of us go on a break but most of us seem to not stop the catch-up with our demanding schedules. Our stress-levels are on a raging high and this is proven to be very detrimental to our physical and mental well-being as well as the relationships we maintain. We all need a break, no one is capable of functioning properly without it. The coming holidays would be the best excuse to take that proper break and I am going to take it no matter what.


In our generation, documenting a getaway through pictures is not a luxury anymore but rather a proof of the experience and a necessity at the same time. It almost translates to - if there's no picture of the getaway then it did not happen and all you have is a story, nothing more.

Where do I want to spend my holiday getaway?

If money was not a consideration, I would want to spend my holiday getaway in an amusement park in Copenhagen. I want to spend at least two days in Tivoli Gardens. I want to experience all the rides and forget about my deadlines. I want to try the scrumptious Danish pastries and Christmas treats and forget about calorie-counting. I want to quench my thirst with gløgg (mulled wine famous in Nordic countries) instead of soda. I want to be showered with snow and forget about the heat of our tropical country. Most of all, I want to just be! Enjoy the place, the surroundings, the people. I would like to feast my eyes on something that I don't see in our country.

How could you say no this photo captured perfectly by The New Diplomats Wife?


I can almost imagine the amount of photos that I will be taking using my camera and my mobile phone. I'll squeeze in a few video clips for good measure! I'd have a fun time trying out the different filters of the Oppo F1s camera when I go around Tivoli Gardens for sure. I'll probably use Bright and Candy the most because I want to see photos that are bright, crisp and invokes a sense of fun. My sister bought her own Oppo F1s phone a couple of months ago and she has raved about the phone non-stop so I plan to strike a deal with her and swap my phone with her so I can try out the amazing filters to capture my perfect winter wonderland holiday getaway.

Tivoli Gardens offers so many rides: Aquila, Bumper Cars, Ballongyngen, The Flying Trunk, Galley Ships, The Golden Tower, The Mine, The Monsoon, Spinning Top, Star Flyer and Vertigo. The kid friendly rides are the following: The Big Clock, Dragon Boats, Deer Carousel, The Fun House, The Light House, The Little Pilot, Nautilus, Petzi's World, The Panda, Rasmus Klump, The Temple Tower, Trolley Bus and Vintage Cars.

Apart from the rides, Tivoli Gardens boasts of the Pantomime Theater, The Tivoli Guard Boys, Aquarium, Amusement arcades, Tivoli Jackpot, Festivals, The Concert Hall, The Glass Theater, The Harmony Pavilion, The Open Air Stage and the Promenade Pavilion.


Did you know that Tivoli Gardens is the most visited theme park in Scandinavia?

Here are a few more photos from Gettty Images: Isn't Tivoli Gardens absolutely beautiful?


Tivoli Gardens is a place that you would want to go back to again and again. I've been there once and I still would choose to go back there again because I have experienced "happiness" in the country with the happiest people in the world and it was indeed one for the books.


The Oppo F1s will be the best holiday gadget for a holiday getaway because: 

1. It takes high-quality photos even in low-light conditions. Oppo F1s did not scrimp on the megapixels when it decided to peg its front camera at 16MP. It has a 1/3.1 sensor and f/2.0 aperture which allows more light to enter for that vibrant shot no matter what time of day and yes even on low-light conditions plus of course my all-time favorite "Beautify 4.0". Can you imagine documenting your holiday getaway and pictures come out sharp, clear, vibrant, and at the same time flattering? I'm sold with this feature alone. Bye-bye grainy selfies.  

Did you know that Oppo patented the screenflash and it is one of the many features of the F1s?

The 13MP rear camera would give mobile phones in the same class a run for its money. The aperture is slightly higher than the front camera and pegged at f/2.2. The rear camera is best used for landscapes, sceneries, action photos, food shots (of course!) and practically anything you want to photograph.

2. Storage + Fast Processor. Oppo F1s has a 3GB RAM matched with 64-bit octacore processor which ensures that you can do the multitasking on your phone. This phone allows seamless operation that allows you to play games, browse on the go, store photos, play videos and many other tasks at hand. The additional memory card slot is a heaven-sent as well and the storage allows up to 128GB expansion. Oh and yes, the ROM is 32GB. You got lots of space at your fingertips. After all, you need a lot of storage space for all your holiday getaway photos. 

3. Give me some of that filters. I never really cared about filters in the past but after trying out the filters of the Oppo F1s using my sister's phone, I'm a convert. I would love to be creative and use the filters when I share my photos through my social media accounts. I love the watermarking feature as well where the phone imprints the photo with time, date, temperature and other information. Isn't that so handy? You would know why you're shivering in the photo because of the temperature imprint. What a thoughtful feature this is! 


4. Listen up everyone selfie time! What's a getaway without a photo with your getaway buddies yeah? Have you tried taking a photo and one of your friends/companions face was cut in half? Or maybe you are that friend who didn't fit in the screen? And worst of all is that it's your face cut in all of the photos. Oh what a shame! It's great that Oppo F1s has the ability to take wide angle shot so everyone gets in the frame. One just has to rotate the phone from side to side to capture the perfect wide-angle selfie. The phone will then stitch the photos together to make sure that everyone's selfie is captured. What a treat?!?

There are many other features that make the Oppo F1s as a breakthrough phone considering how affordable it is. The ones I mentioned are the features I think would be the reasons and ways for the Oppo F1s to be the best holiday getaway gadget in the market today. The Oppo F1s has so much more features listed here

But since I want to jumpstart one of my 2017 new year's resolutions as early as now, my most favorite holiday getaway will be spent in our home, our home sweet home - with my husband and my  baby. You might ask me why I would choose this option and I would be more than happy to share with you my answer. A getaway does not need to cost an arm and a leg or even kidneys. A getaway can be the simplest form of activity but would bring so much joy and thus lowers one's stress level.

Is it possible to have the best holiday getaway at home?

1. Do something new. It could be trying out a new game (the new Monopoly perhaps), baking a new dish or trying out a new cookie recipe, playing pretend to entertain the little one and using new costumes, reading a new book, and many other activities. The possibilities are endless. We could even start a new family tradition and this is something that I look forward to. Maybe the three of us can bake holiday cookies and gift to family and friends as well as our neighbors.


Doing something new is a big advantage to me as we are just starting our family. We have a lot of new things that we could do and try and that makes me so excited. Of course, when you do or try something new you document it. It would be nice to look at photos and come up with a scrapbook or digital album that would remind me of the memories shared with my family. The Oppo F1s could be a wonderful tool to use in this documenting project.

2. Sharing is caring. Now if leaving the house is an absolute necessity for a short getaway, then I will brave the horrendous holiday traffic. I plan to personally deliver the holiday cookies to family and friends and share to the needy along the way as well. Sharing is indeed a vital life skill. It's something I want to teach my toddler. Again, you don't need a plane ticket to getaway. You just need to step out of the four corners of your house even. There's this family who put up a tent just outside the gate of our neighbor's house and so I want to share something with them. I see them everyday and so far I have only given them food and diapers. This Christmas, I want to give them a little bit more.



3. Celebrate even if it's lowkey. Avoid the stress of thinking where to get the money to spend on a grand Christmas celebrations. Just be sure to find ways to celebrate despite working on a small budget. Cook something you don't usually eat on a daily basis or cook your favorite dish and elevate it with a nice garnishing or two. Decorate your house and your dinner table using festive decors and baubles. Now, that scenario would look and feel like you went on a holiday getaway because it's out of the ordinary. It's now a picture perfect set-up!

This allows you to allocate your finances accordingly and makes it a possibility to splurge on a proper getaway when the right time comes.



Having a holiday getaway is essential to one's well-being but it doesn't mean that you have to spend much to complete the getaway experience. You may opt to travel and splurge or you can just simply "getaway" from the usual and make it special with unique activities that you can enjoy with the people that matters to you the most. Engage in activities that would make you genuinely happy. Realize that one's happiness is a choice and life is what  and how you make it.

Happy holidays!

DISCLOSURE: This is my entry to the Nuffnang PH x Oppo F1s Holiday Getaway Blog Contest. I was not paid to write this blog post but I have a chance to win my very own Oppo F1s. I own a few of the photos featured in this post and some were copied from the Oppo F1s website, Getty Images, The New Diplomats Wife as well as Viktor Hanacek of PicJumbo. There is no affiliate link included in this blog post. 




THE SUNDAY CURRENTLY

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I woke up really late today (read: 11AM). It's because we met with relatives yesterday and we went to a nearby city to taste authentic sinampalukang inihaw na baboy and dinuguan. I allowed myself to indulge because well it's not always that I get to try homecooking at its best. We then went to Lolo Fred's rooftop garden and talked about his dragonfruit and turmeric plants and all the other flowering plants. Of course, as expected our conversations shifted to the politican scene and everyone had something to say. I'm glad that we all are in the same boat and no one has to pull out hairs to understand.

We then drove to Blue Bay Walk in Pasay and I was surprised to see how developed it is already. Summer enjoyed the giant bubble display and then we had dinner in one of the Japanese restaurants in the area. We went home at almost 10PM and that explains why I woke up late today.

Now, it's time for The Sunday Currently...




I am currently...

reading the Uskoop guideline on how I used document the items I bought for the Php10,000 shopping credits I won in the recently concluded Shop Globally With Uskoop blog contest. I received some of the items yesterday and I'm so excited to play with the huge Monopoly board I ordered. The little one jumped for joy when she saw the Guess How Much I Love You lap board book that I bought for her. Ah! Simple joys! I'll share a blog post about it soon.

writing the recipe for a kimchi rice that I want to copy. I might have to tweak it a little bit though.

listening to the cartoon show that my little one is watching.

thinking of writing several blog posts before I go on Christmas vacation mode.

smelling the "paksiw" that the neighbor is cooking. It's a late lunch for them I guess.

watching the travel/proposal video of Anne Curtis and Erwann Heussaff. What a lowkey way? I love it! Have you watched it?

wishing for the rain to stop. It has been raining since I woke up.

hoping to edit the vlog today. Ahhhs so little time, so much to do.

wearing my comfy Vera Wang nightgown. Yep, no shower yet! LOL!

loving the scent of Jo Malone English Pear and Freesia. I bought a bottle a couple of weeks ago and so far I am loving it.

wanting to really win the all-expense paid Iceland trip. I'm sure you want it too! Iceland is on top of my travel bucket list for many years now. (Let me know which country is on top of your list.)

needing to have my nails done.

feeling anxious that the year is about to end again. When you're getting older things as trivial as this make you anxious in an unexplainable way really.

clicking through photos to use in my future TSC blog posts. Like this photo I used here which was captured by Brooke Lark. (What's your go to stock photos resource? I would love to know.)

If you have a blog and you want to let us in your Sunday, join us. Here's my old archive of The Sunday Currently. If you want to join us, click here or here.

I wish you all a wonderful week ahead!


FALL IN-LOVE WITH WEDDING SCRIPT FONTS

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Today is a new day to share the first part of my wedding fonts series and I am extremely  excited to showcase my favorites. I guess you know by now that I love brush fonts and I also love handwritten fonts. I cannot accurately explain the feeling I feel when I see something I really like - it's literally like falling in-love all over again.

I have accepted several wedding invitation projects this year and I have bought quite a few premium fonts to cater to my client's demands. I can't forever use free fonts though so I make sure that I have new fonts to show my clients when I get some inquiries. Today, I am going to share a mix of free and paid wedding script fonts.

FALL IN-LOVE WITH WEDDING SCRIPT FONTS



Did I just say I'm absolutely in-love with these fonts yet? Out of all the fonts I chose above, Cantoni Pro and Aidan Romantic Script makes me giddy the most. I have a few more favorites but I will share them next week so you won't be overwhelmed. At least, we all have something to look forward to yeah?

Here's Cantoni Pro in action: (this is not an actual project I created for a client)


What do you think? Are these fonts familiar to you? Have you received invitations using any of these fonts? 

YOU CAN FIND MORE CREATIVE FONTS HERE

Please watch out for the monthly calendar that I will be releasing through the newsletter. Enter your email address and get the design goodies absolutely for free every month.

FALL IN-LOVE WITH WEDDING SCRIPT FONTS AGAIN + GIVEAWAY

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Last week I shared the first part of the Wedding Script Fonts series and this week, as promised, I'm sharing the second part. Wedding invitations, save the date cards, place card, menu cards, missalettes, thank you cards, RSVP cards - there's a lot of text involved when you finally decide to tie the know. In fact, even before you tie the knot, you have the bridal shower invitations or rehearsal dinner place cards that you have to consider. It can be overwhelming indeed especially if you have to start from scratch.

There are many websites offering free fonts and there are websites that offer fantastic premium fontsas well. If you are planning your wedding right now, let me save you stress by sharing some fonts that you may want to consider for your paper projects. Be sure to read until the end of this blog post to know how to win a custom invitation layout/design (any occasion).

FALL IN-LOVE WITH WEDDING SCRIPT FONTS AGAIN


I really wish I already know how to use an editing software before my wedding. I could have easily created an invitation card that would suit my taste and go to town with the graphics/illustration at the same time. I had a very simple invitation and it was created by a designer I found in a wedding expo.

Could you guess what my most favorite wedding script font in this set is? 

Let's do a little giveaway before the year ends, shall we? If you reached this point, I want you to answer my question by leaving your answer in the comments box. The first person to guess will win a custom/bespoke any occasion invitation layout and design for free. This is open worldwide as design output will be sent via email. Please feel free to share this giveaway to your friends and family as well. 

YOU CAN FIND MORE CREATIVE FONTS HERE

Please watch out for the monthly calendar that I will be releasing through the newsletter. Enter your email address and get the design goodies absolutely for free every month.

8 THINGS I'M THANKFUL FOR IN 2016

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This blog post remained in my drafts folder for almost a year, and so I find myself rewriting the things I am thankful for. This is not exactly recycled as you might think. I don't know why I was not able to publish a blog post like this last year, maybe I became too busy being a new mom or maybe I was just feeling uninspired. This year is a little bit different though because I'd be an ingrate if I won't acknowledge the things I'm thankful for.

Two more days and it'll be a new year. Wow! Can you believe it? Just this unfolding of a brand new day is already something that I am so thankful for. We flew to my parent's house in Southern Mindanao a little over a week ago so everything's pretty chill. I've been away from the congestion of Metro Manila and life's a little slower here. Like I mentioned in one of my "The Sunday Currently" blog posts, I'm not sure how I would write my year-ender post. But hey, I am finally writing and I hope to publish this before another year leafs over.



1. The gift of life and motherhood. I still consider motherhood as the greatest gift I have ever received. For that alone, I am truly blessed.

2. My husband. We're closing the year without a single fight in our book and that is amazing! I'm thankful for him because he has been working so hard inorder to provide for us while at the same time investing for our future house and lot. We've finally paid off our lot and construction of the house will begin as soon as the lot title will be released to us.

3. The blessings of love, marriage and family. I'm humbled with all the challenges that have come my way but with the love and support of my family I am still standing and nothing can topple me down.

4. The gift of an excellent bill of health. I've never been hospitalized and I've only experienced the occasional cough and colds.

5. The ability to travel. We were able to travel to Denmark (Copenhagen, Hillerød, Jelling, Hundested, Tisvildelej, Skagen, Lokken, Blokhus, and Helsingør)  and Helsingborg in Sweden this year.

6. Friendship. I'm thankful to all my friends who have made my 2016 extra colorful.

7. Blogging and graphic design projects. I experienced so much perks of being a blogger this year and I hope to work harder this coming year. I'm really motivated and inspired to go on.

8. Material things and surprises. I'd be a hypocrite if I tell you that I am not thankful for the tangible things that I've owned this year. I'm thankful that apart from acquiring the ones I really need, I was also able to buy a number of items in my wants list.

This coming 2017, I hope for at least 3 things:

1. A year just like 2016 - if not better!
2. Better parenting to my daughter as well as kicking off homeschooling with her.
3. For all our travel plans to push through. Prague, wait for us!

Of course, I'd like to thank you my dear readers for not abandoning me and my blog. Cheers to 2017! I hope you would continue to support me for the next year to come. And oh by the way, I started a new Instagram account dedicated solely to the photos from blog posts and other inspiring photos. I want to make the feed uncluttered and more organized. 

I hope you all have a wonderful New Year. Where will you ring in the New Year?

Please watch out for the monthly calendar that I will be releasing through the newsletter. Enter your email address and get the design goodies absolutely for free every month. The January newsletter will be out on the 1st day of January, 2017 at 10AM Manila time (UTC +8:00).

WORRY-FREE PLAYTIME WITH OFF! LOTION: BYE BYE MOSQUITO-BORNE DISEASES

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If a survey will be conducted today to monitor mommies who consider themselves "a worrywart" then I am probably part of the statistics. I worry about the little things - quite a shift from my otherwise carefree younger years. I have a very long list of things I worry about eversince I joined the circle of motherhood. My list of worries range from the complex down to the mundane - welcome to the world of maternal anxiety! I worry day-in and day-out, high-level to low-level, basically all the things that affect our daily lives makes me worry to say the least. I guess you could say by now that I am indeed a worrywart. I guess moms are hardwired to worry.



I might consider myself a worrywart but in a short span of almost two years since I became a mother, I learned how to choose my "mom battles" and thus I have learned where to focus my precious energy more. There are some things that we need not worry about because worrying just sucks up our energy and so we won't be able to provide the attention, care and love that our family, especially the little ones, needs the most. In the job description of a parent, worrying is in the same list as cooking the next meal that the kids will love to choosing the most practical air filter in the market to the prettiest pink dress and to the safest hygiene and protective products to the say the least.

ON BEING A NEW MOM

You'll never really know what a mother goes through until you become one yourself. I can attest to that! I used to think that motherhood is just a walk in the park. Voila! It isn't! It is not as easy as counting 1-2-3 or cooking a pot of congee. It is as difficult as other professions and the truth of the matter is a stay-at-home mother like myself is indeed working full-time. Yes, 24/7 with no rest days, no sick days.

When my daughter, Summer, fell off our couch at barely a month old, I found myself bawling my eyes out - I think I even cried buckets of tears. And there I entered the big leagues of worrying! I felt like a total failure for turning my back for a split second, I could have lost my baby right there and then. I remember talking to my baby while profusely apologizing to her for my negligence. There's just no excuses! I clutched my baby and hugged her so tight. I was so worried I stayed up all night observing her every move, feeling her chest just to make sure she's still breathing and it still normal. I observed her as she slept so peacefully. I was on the look-out for possible unexpected jerks, for signs of seizures, for anything uncharacteristic. I patiently watched with an eagle-eye for any symptoms of adverse side effects of falling. Up until now, I still wake up in the night and I reach our for my daughter and feel her chest to see if she's breathing. You just can't shake off that paranoia!

As Jennie Ralston succintly puts it: "Worry is part of the dark underbelly of parenthood - the flip side of joy, pride and fulfillment."

THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS... 

Worrying more does not make you or me the best mother there is in the world. Constructive worrying acts like an alarm system, helping you identify dangers before they arise so you can lessen risks, says Edward Hallowell, M.D., author of Worry: Hope and Help For A Common Condition.

Do you see where I am going at this point? Excessively worrying is counter-productive and also may do more harm than good to you. Like in my example above, I lost sleep worrying. I could have stopped worrying when I did not see immediate adverse effects of falling but I chose to stay up all night. Looking back, I still stand by believing that I did what a noble mother would do but then again the situation was not that worse that required me to sulk and bawl over it.

TAMING THE ANXIETY

Apart from the varying degrees of worry that every parent has to feel, parents are also supposed to nurture the well-being of his/her offspring. Mothers are often expected to take the lead on nurturing the members of the family. In our family, my husband provides for our financial needs and he strives to provide other needs of the family as well. We are extremely lucky to have a head of the family who is an engaged father near or far.

I am twice as lucky being a mother because I am raising a rather low-maintence daughter. I love how she is growing up to be a very sweet little girl. I treasure her surprise hugs and kisses. I bask at how giddy she make me feel each morning as she greets me "Good morning Mama". I feel happy inside knowing that I will have a bestfriend in her for as long as I live. As a mother to my growing daughter, I work hard every day to make her feel my love. I prepare her food, accompany her to her weekly sing and play classes, shop with her, bring her to the supermarket and I take advantage of every teachable moment to connect with her. Of course, I join my daughter's playtime. I treat playtime with my daughter as my break from my daily chores and I enjoy it! I love it even.

WORRY-FREE PLAYTIME WITH OFF! LOTION

Last month, we went to my parent's house in Southern Mindanao and we spent our Christmas and New Year in the house where I grew up. To my surprise, my mom and dad has set-up a playhouse where their two granddaughters can play to their hearts content. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, the playhouse has open windows so that means insects, especially mosquitoes, can still freely enter the unfinished playhouse.

No one has succumbed to dengue in my family but we have experienced countless dengue scares in the past so my mom always makes sure that she has a stash of Off!® Insect Repellent Lotion in her medicine kit. She has all the variants believe it or not (in bottles and sachets to boot). I say it is a pretty good idea and I highly suggest that moms keep a bottle always within arms reach because our environment is a healthy breeding ground for mosquitoes.





The kids, my daughter and niece, definitely had so much fun playing and myself and my sister did not worry about our little girls acquiring any mosquito-borne disease while playing in the unfinished playhouse because we used Off!® Insect Repellent Lotion to ward of the pesky mosquitoes. Believe me when I say mosquitoes in the province are super hungry for blood. I applied Off!® Insect Repellent Lotion to myself as well while watching the kids play (and sometimes playing with them too)  because I get unsightly dark mosquito bite marks on my skin. It was a little bit hot in the province when we were there so I dressed the kids in the most comfortable clothes they have available. I wanted them to fully enjoy their playtime and not worry about sweating and smelling bad at the end of the day.





Playtime was twice the fun because apart from being far from each other for almost a year, the kids were protected by Off!® Insect Repellent Lotion. They wore their favorite comfortable clothes while playing. I am amazed at how independent my little one has become - she sometimes chooses what clothes to wear! I just let her be.  So even if she chose to wear her favorite pink onesie, I did not worry about her having mosquito bites on any exposed body parts. All is well that ends well any day! The enjoyment that the kids experienced were undoubtedly priceless. We sure enjoyed our bonding time together.






Why would you arm yourself with Off!® Insect Repellent Lotion? It's because according to the World Health Organization, mosquito bites result in the deaths of more than 1 million people every year. That only means that the most deadly animal in the world in the mosquito! Scary isn't it! That is perfectly the reason why we should arm ourselves with prevention and never underestimate the power of this small insect.

In the Philippines, the most common mosquito-borne diseases include dengue, zika, chikungunya, Japanese encephalitis, malaria and filariasis. Dengue, chikungunya, and Japanese encephalitis are caused by viruses while malaria and filariasis are caused by parasites. Dengue and chikungunya are transmitted by the same mosquitoes - Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. Furthermore, the signs and symptoms, which appear three to seven days after a bite from an infected mosquito, are similar - high grade fever, joint pain, joint swelling, rash, headache, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting and fatigue. On the other hand, the Japanese encephalitis (JE) is caused by the JE virus whose most important vectors are the mosquitoes Culex tritaeniorhynchus and Culex vishnui. - Philippine Council for Health Research and Development



About OFF!® Insect Repellent Lotion

OFF!® personal insect repellent was developed and launched in the United States in 1957 under the leadership of 4th generation SC Johnson leader Sam Johnson. In 2015, OFF! was named "Most Trusted Bug Repellent" by BrandSpark.

How Do OFF!® Repellents Work?

The active ingredients in OFF!® skin applied personal repellents are DEET (N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) or picaridin (hydroxyethyl isobutyl piperidine carboxylate). Both active ingredients are effective in repelling mosquitoes and work by forming a vapor barrier at the skin's surface that affects the scent receptors in these biting insects, which deters them from landing on and biting us.


Off!® Lotion for Kids is the one repellent that I really trust and use and will continue to use until the last mosquito vanishes off the face of the Earth. Aside from it is dermatologically-tested, Off!® Lotion is also the most trusted brand in the market today. I especially love the longevity of its effect (three hours of sure protection), guaranteed safe for my daughter's skin, product absorbency is impressive and it isn't sticky at all. Of course, we love the light tropical fragrance.

Knowing how dangerous mosquitoes are, I am armed by the assurance that I will always have an ally in a bottle or sachet of Off!® Insect Repellent Lotion. I know I can trust a brand that has stood the test of time. With Off!® Insect Repellent Lotion we can enjoy our playtime indoors, outdoors and even in unfinished playhouses. I would never want my daughter to suffer any mosquito-borne disease especially now at her very tender age.


What insect repellent lotion do you trust to ward off mosquito-borne diseases in your family? Have you been admitted in a hospital because of a mosquito-borne disease? I would love to know about your experience.

DISCLOSURE: This is my entry to the NuffnangPH and OFF!® Insect Repellent Lotion blog contest. All thoughts, opinions, as well as suggestions mentioned in this post are entirely my own and were not influenced by the brand mentioned. I could win gift certificates and gift packs  if I win this contest. If my entry will be picked as top, second or third prize I will be able to give 5 gift packs to 5 of my blog readers. So awesome eh!

ON WINNING AND LOSING NUFFNANG PH BLOG CONTESTS

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I honestly don't know how to begin this blog post. I still feel overwhelmed because I just received an email that I won another blog contest I joined. I was just at the Nuffnang Philippines office last week to claim the Oppo F1s phone I won in their recent holiday getaway blog contest and now I just have to wait for the final email as to when I can claim the Multicooker I won from De'Longhi's Christmas Wishlist contest. Both of these blog contests were in late 2016, so I am going to file this as part of my 2016 blogging achievement and perks.

Nuffnang usually partners with brands in hosting blog contests aimed at promoting brands to blog readers. What I love about a Nuffnang blog contest is that there is a criteria for judging the entries. For me, that is a very clear and fair basis in choosing the winner. I also appreciate that Facebook or Instagram likes are not the basis for choosing the winner. The fairness is pretty much encouraging if you ask me.



My aim in writing this post is to thank Nuffnang and all the brands they have partnered with for all the contests I joined and won last year. I'm also thankful to Nuffnang for encouraging me albeit indirectly to continue blogging. I also plan to share some tips on how I wrote my entries. What I think about when I join is that win or lose I have a content published on my blog and at the end of the day that is what makes my blog alive.

REALITY: I joined blogging contests and not simply raffle contests so I was a bit miffed when someone commented that I am so lucky in raffles. The truth is I only win raffle prizes when all the participants get to take home something. I've never won in a company Christmas party raffle or a blogging event raffle. My luck in that department is next to zero. Some would even say I should start buying lottery tickets because I might be lucky in that department too and I could win millions.

Contrary to what others may think right now, I do not win all the contests I join and I have not successfully cracked the code yet on how to secure a win or a prize for that matter. I also don't join every contest that Nuffnang publishes. I sometimes even have an article ready to publish as entry but if I feel like it just doesn't have the heart or the post lacks the elements that would warrant a win I just keep it in my drafts folders. Winning a blog contest cannot be left to chance because it requires time, effort and a genuine love for writing.

Today, I am going to share tips on how I write my blog entries: (Disclaimer: These tips are what I do and what I keep in mind when I write my blog entries. These may or may not work for you.)

HOW I WRITE MY BLOG ENTRIES


1. I study the brand and the contest criteria.

When I know what the product/brand is all about and I think I can write a blog post that would meet the usual criteria (creativity, relevance, and appeal) then by all means  I join the contest. In my case, I have not personally operated a De'Longhi machine so when the mechanics included an invitation for a workshop, I immediately signed up for it and showed up at the De'Longhi showroom in Quezon City even it was raining and traffic from Makati was horrendous. My aim was to study the brand and try some of their products. The experience made me want the De'Longhi Multifry Low-Oil Fryer and Multicooker so bad that I started writing my entry as soon as I got home. My efforts paid off in the end because I was one of the two winners.

2. I research and read write-ups and press releases about the brand. 

Aside from studying the brand, I also make it a point to research about the brand or to read up on the topic that I wanted to write. In my blog post about the best features of the Oppo F1s phone, I spent hours researching about the brand. I read the microsite and read several tech/gadget blog reviews. I even made an infographicto add to my blog. I wasn't lucky enough to win that contest though. When another contest was posted sponsored by the smartphone-maker Oppo, I decided to join the contest again. It helped that I have already researched about the product when I initially joined so I devoted more time in writing the content and choosing the photos as well as creating the animation.

3. I invest in stock photos, premium fonts and editing tools. 

Yes, I would tell you this upfront - the blog contest world is very competitive and so you need to determine how you can be a notch higher than your competition.  When the #CheersToLife #CheersToEveryday contest was announced and I read that there will only be one contest winner, I know I had to exert a bit more effort that I usually do. I use stock photos quite often when I join contests and I spend money to pay my monthly subscription. My go-to source for feminine, minimalist and modern stock photos is Haute Chocolate and I've been a subscriber for more than a year now. I also signed up for the newsletters of Unsplash, StockSnap and PicJumbo so I always get first dibs on new releases. I buy premium fonts from Creative Market and I'm always excited when they release new script fonts. I mainly use Photoshop CC to edit my blog photos and animation and I pay the monthly subscription fee as well.

Of course, there are free web/online resources out there to edit your blog graphics/animation. I'm a little forgetful though so I tend to forget all the links. I'm pretty bad at organizing my bookmarks as well so I'd rather have stand-alone programs to rely on. For blog graphic editing, you can also try to use PicMonkey and Canva.

4. I write and rewrite until I am satisfied with my content.

Believe it or not but I spend no less than 5 hours in writing a blog post. I write the draft and then sleep over it and then read the saved post and then rewrite or edit the whole piece. I don't have 100% grammar so Grammarly helps me a whole lot. It also helps to have fresh eyes so I let my sister or my uncle read my draft before I publish it. I also try to write as much as I can so that means I don't stop at 300 words - I always aim for 1,000 words or less even if there is no word count requirement. I feel like I would be able to talk more about the brand, about the topic or about the contest goal if I use ample amount of words. In blog contests, being comprehensive just won't cut it unless the mechanics clearly states that you have to write a short product description only.

5. I choose clear, bright and appealing photos. 

Aside from using premium stock photos, I also use my own photos when I have some saved in my portfolio. I try my best not to use grainy photos in my blog entries anymore because I feel like grainy photos just won't make anyone win a contest unless the contest is about showcasing the grainiest photo in your gallery. That's how competitive the blogging world is now especially when your work will be judged, scored, and compared with other entries.

If I don't have photos showcasing the product, I allot some time to have a mini photoshoot at home. In my case, it always helps. If I have to use photos owned by other people, I make it a point to ask permission, link back or credit the rightful owner. Stealing someone else's work will bring you nothing but bad karma. I kid you not!

6. I accept defeat after joining and losing. 

I do not win all the time but of course I join with winning in mind that's why I exert effort in coming up with an entry that adhered to the mechanics and matched the criteria. I do not publish a half-cooked article much less publish an entry with several grammar misses. This is the only mindset that made me win several blog contests that I joined. I do not leave anything to chance or good luck or rely on what a fortune cookie tells me. However, I also train myself to accept defeat when I lose and move on to the next contest. There's just no giving up!

I submitted several entries for the Huawei Live With The King contest and I did not win a single prize. What I did was moved on from the loss and strived to learn how to edit videos better or how to make .gif files using Photoshop. It feels better when you learn something on your own and you get to use it on other projects. Learning how to edit videos also made me start our very own Youtube channel. I plan to relaunch the vlog site sometime soon. For now, I am going to focus on the blog and my growing family.



There were several blog contests that I did not join last year because of several reasons. One, we were on vacation and I just did not have time to write an entry while touring Denmark and Sweden at the same time. Two, I already won a contest sponsored by the same brand in 2015 so I felt like it would be selfish of me to join again. Third, I just didn't have the conviction for the brand or I did not feel like I would give justice to it. Last but not the least, the brand mechanics calls for selfies or OOTDs which aren't my forte at all so I opted not to join.

I like the feeling of winning and winning can be addictive especially when you exert effort to win something. I believe that when you take a step in the direction that you want to achieve, the law of attraction helps you towards the direction of your goals. When you lose however, it is important to learn from your mistakes or shortcomings and try a little harder next time.

This coming year, I plan to still join contests and I also would love to share some more tips to anyone who wants to join blog contests as well. Maybe I could be a mentor or an editor or just critic someone's work. I would love to help and continue to encourage those who are starting to lose interest and almost at the verge of giving up and abandoning their blog altogether. If you know anyone who might be interested to talk about how to win blog contests or if you have more tips that you want to share with me so I'll have 100% chance of winning then please feel free to leave a comment below and I promise to get in touch with you.

Cheers to 2017! 



THE SUNDAY CURRENTLY: NEW BEGINNING

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Welcome to another The Sunday Currently blog post! This will be the first blog post for this series this year. I'm looking forward to a wonderful 2017 and I'm quite positive that it will be full of surprises, even ups and downs.


I am currently...

reading my Dayre timeline. I started updating my Dayre account again last week and I hope to keep the momentum going. Dayre is like an online diary where you can share anything that happens in your life from sun up to sun down and beyond. It is an app that can be installed in your phone and it's quite easy to use. Dayre is mostly used in Singapore and Malaysia.

writing the mechanics for a blog giveaway that I will be hosting soon. I'm partnering with a hotel located in the south so I hope you watch out for that. I'm actually going to stay in the hotel this month and I'm going to blog my experience as well.

listening to the sound of the fan blades. Is it weird that I find it coming?

thinking of baking a batch of caramel bars tomorrow because I am seriously craving for it. I'd like to copy the caramel bars sold by Max's Restaurant. I'll share it if I'm successful.

smelling the scent from the aerator - peppermint!

watching the documentary on the World's Tallest Man. He is 8'2" and still growing. His feet is a size 28 US. This man from Turkey is a living giant!

wishing to hear the heartbeat of the growing baby inside my belly when we have our next ultrasound. We heard the heartbeat of Summer when she was around 7 weeks inside me.

hoping to control my blood sugar so I won't develop gestational diabetes mellitus again.

wearing a comfortable shorts and tank top.

loving the way Summer say's "again, again, again" when she wants me to repeat tickling her, or caressing her hair or just about anything that interests her. So cute!

wanting to purge my closet to make room for a new and updated wardrobe.

needing to clean the fridge and get rid of old food and expired spices. I'll probably do it tomorrow when the hubby is out to attend a training.

feeling a little bit nauseous but I guess it's just because I didn't eat much today.

clicking on websites while searching for possible names for either a baby boy or a baby girl. I honestly am secretly hoping to have another baby girl but I won't mind if we will be blessed with a healthy baby boy this time.

If you have a blog and you want to let us in your Sunday, join us. Here's my old archive of The Sunday Currently. If you want to join us, click here or here.

I wish you all a wonderful week ahead!



THE SUNDAY CURRENTLY: HANG IN THERE LITTLE ONE

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I haven't blogged the past week because I helped my sister set her blog up. She was able to add a bit of content since she started in 2014 but not enough to consider her blog an active one. She's leaning towards motherhood (working mom) and lifestyle posts so I hope you give her blog a visit when you have time. She also started a blog link-up and I think I will join next week.



I am currently...

reading a book on What To Expect When You're Expecting. I forgot about the things to expect already because it has been almost 2 years when I was in my first trimester too. Do you personally like online reading materials or those you can find in Google versus books? Sometimes, the easiest for me is to Google but I still am very cautious because not everything on the internet is correct so I only follow medical recommendations from my doctor and of course books.

writing updates on my Dayre account. I shared how nervous we were last night that we had to take a trip to the hospital a few minutes before midnight. After several procedures, the doctors ruled out that we are safe and I was only prescribed a medication to stop bleeding. Scary!

listening to my Jazz for Babies playlist on Spotify.

thinking of the outcome of the protests in the US and other parts of the country against the Trump Presidency.

smelling the scent of fresh sheets. I'm just in bed and I intend to stay here all day as advised by my doctor.

watching nothing at the moment. I'm not in the mood to stay in the couch and watch TV. I don't want to watch a noon-time show as well. Maybe I'll watch the Miss Universe contestant profile videos via the MU app.

wishing to be medically sound again. Why am I feeling all these things when I'm pregnant? I guess it's not that easy to bring out another human being in our world eh? I envy the other moms who have uncomplicated pregnancies to be honest.

hoping to survive my first trimester without another emergency trip to the hospital.

wearing a sun dress. I like it because it is really comfortable.

loving the weather today. It's overcast and a bit on the colder side. I would have loved to walk in the park this afternoon if I am not feeling

wanting to eat xiao long bao but I can't leave the house. I don't like to have it delivered because I don't have the patience to wait now.

needing to design a friend's business card but I guess it can't wait. For now, I just need to take ample amount of rest.

feeling a bit worried still. I kept on praying and praying.

clicking on nothing at this point. I think I will play Township in a while until I doze off to sleep.

If you have a blog and you want to let us in your Sunday, join us. Here's my old archive of The Sunday Currently. If you want to join us, click here or here.

Have a safe and wonderful week ahead!


HOW AND WHY TO CREATE A MEDIA KIT FOR YOUR BLOG + MEDIA KIT GIVEAWAY

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I've been blogging for several years now but I just recently realized that I've never done more than the usual post sharing and tweeting to market my blog. My subscriber numbers have tanked but I am still grateful for all those who has stayed and still read my blog through the year. I have encountered several phases of hiatus and there were also times when I thought of making this blog private or just give it all up completely.

I've attempted to start a new blog on another platform but it fizzled before I could even launch it. I still own the domain name but I'm not sure if I still want to renew the ownership. For now, my focus is to relaunch this blog and begin to extensively market it and attempt to create a blog that would be a helpful resource for stay-at-home moms like me who's currently enjoying life outside the corporate world. I've recently started homeschooling my toddler and that's pretty exciting and at the same time challenging. You see, I've never imagined myself to be a teacher to young kids because my exposure was mentoring professionals in the corporate environment.



I did a substantial amount of reading self-help guides on how to increase readership and start monetizing my online presence and I learned that I have been missing a very important element in my blogging journey - I don't have a media kit. I have created media kits for my blogger friends but I've never really got my hands into creating my own. How ironic!

I am giving away a bespoke media kit to 2 of my readers so they can jumpstart their blogging careers with me. Please read along for the details of the giveaway. 

SO WHAT IS A MEDIA KIT?

In the world of blogging, a media kit is a document that outlines the key information as well as the numbers/statistics about your blog. A media kit comes in handy when talking to potential advertisers or brands that you want to collaborate with. It gives the advertisers and brands a bird's eye of what your blog is all about as well as it's performance. It also gives them a peek into what articles you write and your readership. Media kits also contain past brand partnerships, social media information/influence. The media kit is not the end all and be all for a blogger but it is definitely good to have when you plan to collaborate with a brand. It makes you and your blog look  professional and also gives the potential advertiser a reason and a motivation to work with you.


Here is the media kit I created for Two Monkeys Travel


I contributed an article to the Two Monkeys Travel Group blog last year. If you are curious to know the things I learned from my Danish husband then it will be worth the read.

WHAT SHOULD YOU INCLUDE IN YOUR MEDIA KIT?


1. Information about you (the blogger/site admin) and your blog.

Your prospective clients or PR contact will be interested to know about the person who maintains and writes the blog posts when you reach out to them. It is important that you include how old the blog is,  your niche, what topics are covered by your blog posts as well as information about your writing experience and any other information you deem interesting to your target advertiser.

I recommended including your photo as well as your brand or blog logo. Tie this element to the other graphics in your media kit to make it more appealing and easy to the eyes.

2. Make the numbers talk. 

Brands/advertisers will almost always gravitate towards this information when they look at your media kit. Your blog numbers equates to your job experience and accomplishment when employers look at your resume. Statistics may not be the end all and be all, however, business decisions on the advertisers part may be based solely on this. Your numbers tell the brand how wide your reach is and who are your blog audience.

Numbers to show may include some if not all of the following:

  • Your blog subscribers - newsletter, social media, subscriptions
  • Page views - you can show the monthly data
  • Unique visitors - you can show the monthly data as well
  • Domain Authority / Page Authority 
  • Bounce Rate - this can be optional 
  • Reader demographics
Don't attempt to explain your numbers in your media kit - just show the figures. If there is a need to explain your numbers, do so in an email when you send out the media kit. 

Here's an example of a media kit I created for Badet of The Misis Chronicles where she opted to show her monthly unique page views in line with her social media accounts data: 




3. Share feedback from past clients. 

You may also include feedback from clients that you have worked with in the past. Another option is to showcase the brands that you have worked with and display their logos as part of your media kit. It is a great way to show the brand your experience. Of course, if your client sends you a glowing feedback then by all means, share it. If you are familiar with the testimonials about a book author's work which is often displayed in the first few pages of a book then that's how it looks.

4. Options of working with you. 

This is where you list down the collaboration options available when working with you. Of course, there's a myriad of possible collaboration options but try to choose and highlight only that which you are most inclined to do.

The options include but not limited to:

  • Sponsored Posts
  • Sponsored Giveaways
  • Leaderboard, Sidebar and Footer Ads
  • Social Media Promotion/Mentions
  • Product Reviews
Do not mention your rates in your media kit, instead, do this in your rate sheet. The media kit and the rate sheet are two different things. Usually, the media kit contains general information while a rate sheet contains a more detailed set of information which includes how much your services may cost. 

5. Contact Information

Your media kit should also contain your contact information and the best method to reach you for any question and other forms of inquiry. 

Now, we've come to the giveaway part of this article. Yay! If you want me to create a media kit for you because you just don't have the time to make one, please go and join. This giveaway is open worldwide. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Have fun blogging!




MY MISCARRIAGE STORY

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I wrote an update on my Facebook page about losing my baby recently. The post was actually a snippet of the letter which I wrote for my dearest little angel who we named Poppy. I also posted the same heartfelt letter on my Instagram account. Little did I know that it would open the wounds of the moms who were following me that had a similar experience in the past. Based on the responses and comments written on my wall, I realized that I’m not the only one in my circle who experienced the loss of a baby. We dealt with the loss in different ways and I’m sure we grieved differently as well. I offered my vulnerable self out to social media and I’d cry every time I read a story from someone who experienced losing a child through miscarriage.

Miscarriage is something that we don’t often talk about and I admit that I’ve never really read up or educated myself about it until I started to bleed. I Googled bleeding while pregnant and when I saw the word “miscarriage” associated with pregnancy bleeding my heart sank.

No amount of preparation could have saved me from the ache, hurt, and the feeling of being utterly broken when I lost my baby. To say that I am in great pain is an understatement. I feel like this experience is eating me up alive.

We found out I was pregnant on the 29th of December. I kept on repeating the home pregnancy test until I used about 8 because I could not believe that I was pregnant. My husband was a little skeptical as well so we decided to set an appointment with an OB in the province since we were on vacation that time. On January 5, we confirmed through an ultrasound that I was indeed pregnant - 5 weeks to be exact based on the size. There was no gestational sac yet so we decided to see my OB as soon as we arrived in Manila. I had another ultrasound on January 9 and again the OB-Sonologist confirmed that I was pregnant and that there was already a gestational sac. I was so happy with this development. I was scheduled to go back for another scan on January 30.

I never thought about a miscarriage. All I could think about was ensuring that I maintain my blood sugar level so I won’t develop gestational diabetes again and that my prayers always contained a plea that I won’t experience hyperemesis gravidarum again.

Days passed and apart from the usual cravings, breast tenderness and sleepiness, I said to myself that my prayers are being answered. I’ve not eaten rice and I’ve not consumed soda and iced tea since we found I was pregnant. I’ve changed my eating habits as well and I religiously took my vitamins. I was also prescribed the progesterone capsule - Utrogestan. On January 21, I felt that I had a wet discharge so I checked and I saw brown spotting in my panty liner. I didn’t mind it. I knew it was normal for any pregnant woman. Before I went to bed that night, I noticed that my spotting has reddish almost maroon blood to it already so I spoke to my OB who then advised me to go to the hospital. And so we went to the hospital before midnight and went straight to the OB Complex. I was checked, the doctor performed IE and I had to undergo urinalysis as well to rule out urinary tract infection. The test came negative and the doctor informed me that there is no active bleeding and that my cervix was still closed. I was sent home before the break of dawn with a reminder to not engage in any strenuous work and to stay in bed most of the day. I was also required to take Duphaston together with my other vitamins.

I continued to bleed the next day and then again on Monday and Tuesday. I talked to my husband and we decided to go back to the hospital the next day and have the scan ahead of the original schedule. We went to bed and I started feeling intense contractions. I didn’t wake my husband up because I thought that I was just having the normal cramps. The contractions started to grow more and more intense and that’s when I held on to my husband and squeezed his arms. I kept tossing and turning because no position would make me feel better. I forced myself to go back to sleep and I woke up when my daughter greeted me good morning with a kiss. Her hair brushed my nose and I sneezed. Just when I sneezed, I felt a gush of liquid came out of me and what felt like a blob bigger than the normal clot size that I usually see when I have my period. After passing the mass, I felt relieved because the cramps stopped but at the same time I felt really scared that I might have miscarried.

I ran to the bathroom to shower so we can go back to the hospital and there I was right, I saw a big blob of what looked like coagulated blood to me. I was clueless. I didn’t know any better. I debated with myself if I will throw it, flush it, or store it in a jar so I could have my doctor see it. I did the latter.

We went straight to the ultrasound department and the doctor could not see anything inside me. She didn’t stop, she continued to probe a bit deeper, she pressed my abdomen to get a better picture but there was nothing. After several minutes, she looked at me with an expression on her face that seemed like she didn’t want to disappoint me with the bad news but she had no choice but to say it anyway. “Sorry, I could not see any sign that you are pregnant.” I was stunned! I could not believe it. I was confused. I mentioned that I expelled something in the shower and she asked if she could take a look. After looking at the blob, she confirmed that ‘that could be it” and advised me to see my OB at once. My knees were shaking, I could not believe what I just heard. My husband and I hugged but I did not cry. As soon as we got out of the ultrasound room, tears started to well and I sobbed on my husband’s chest. My baby is gone. Our baby has been taken away from us. All the pregnant women waiting for their turn looked at me with sad eyes. I avoided their gaze.

We waited for the ultrasound report before going up to my OB-Gyne’s clinic and there she explained to me everything that I need to know about what happened. She also told me that a D&C was not necessary because I had a complete non-induced, non-septic abortion.

And just like that, all my hopes and dreams of having my baby were shattered. The pain I felt at that moment was immense - something that I have never felt in my whole life. How can I love someone so strongly when I have not seen it nor touched it? I keep thinking that one day I will see and know my baby and will finally see how he or she looks like when we meet in heaven. That consoles me but my tears are flowing like I’m made up of tears. We went home and that was probably the longest ride home. I climbed into bed as soon as we got home and cried my heart out. I curled in bed and drifted to sleep because I felt so tired and weak. I felt like I was a total failure. I wanted to hide from the world. I just wanted to be alone.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR ME?

I woke up from my nap and cried again. I felt like my whole world is crumbling all around me. I don’t know how to deal with the situation but I will allow myself to grieve. I will cry until I have tears to cry. I will cry until I regain my strength to face the emptiness that I feel.

As I write this, three days after losing our baby to miscarriage, I am giving myself permission to grieve. I know I am broken and I do not have the strength to pretend that all is okay because, in reality,  IT IS NOT.

The only assurance I have now is that I know my Little Precious Poppy is in heaven.

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18

I decided to write about my miscarriage story while it is still fresh in my memory. This situation may have been the most painful experience that I have to go through but I don't want to erase it from my memory. I am far from recovery, that I am sure and I don't think I will ever recover from this, to be honest. Everything is still raw as I write this, the pain is still tangible.



If you are going through the same situation as I am in now, know that there is someone bigger than us. My heart goes out to you as I continue to grieve my loss. I pray that God's grace will envelop us as we go through this and make things easier as we go on with our lives. I hope my story gives you encouragement and assurance that you are never alone in your grief. There are many mothers who will forever miss the chance of taking care of their unborn babies. 

If you want to share with me your own story, please do. I would love to read your story. I might also share the letter I wrote for my unborn baby which is now undoubtedly happy in heaven, enveloped by God' loving arms.



JEWELRIES FOR REMEMBRANCE

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I've opened up and blogged about how I lost my second baby through miscarriage while the emotions were still raw and while I still remember everything. It was a very sad day for the family and I felt devastated. My pedia said it could have been caused by a developmental problem thus the body had to weed it out - kind of nature's natural process of elimination in order to retain only the "best" among the pack. But you know science and emotions don't mix so hearing that reason made it all the more confusing for me.

I spent the past few days reading miscarriage stories of other moms online and in fact signed up for different support groups. I didn't know that there are so many mothers who have experienced this situation and some even experienced twice, thrice, and some four or five times. I spent the past few days talking to moms who have been in my shoes. In fact, after posting an update in my Facebook page, an acquaintance shared to me that she had miscarriage as well early last week (around the same time that I lost mine). I could never accurately explain the immense amount of hurt that I feel. I really felt like I was breaking into a million little pieces. To say I am terrified would not accurately paint the picture of grief, despair and trauma. I find myself bursting into tears when someone sends me a message of regret or when someone checks on me. I find myself sobbing in the middle of the night.

In between sobs, I look for ways to memorialize the short life of our Baby Poppy. I thought of planting a tree or planting a poppy flower but poppies don't really grow here in the Philippines. I thought of buying a wax doll but I don't know what the features of my baby are. I never got to touch here, much less see her. To be real honest, I'm not 100% sure that she could have been a baby girl - it's just my gut feel that tells me that. I thought of naming a star for her memory.


I also thought about investing in a piece of antique and vintage jewellery to signify how precious my baby was for me, for us. The antique rings from Berganza caught my attention and I really like the antique fancy pink sapphire ring as well as the art deco marquise-shape diamond ring. I like the former because of its color and I like the art deco ring because  of its design. Berganza rings look really elegant and timeless and handmade by craftsmen when mass production was not yet a thing. I'm also considering to buy a necklace or a just a pendant that would remind me of Poppy and how I am changed by her short but sweet existence. I'm going to write a blog post again once I have finally decide which option I would take.

Indeed, pain is God's way of catching our attention. We sometimes forget about God when we are in the middle of happiness, achievements and other trivial sources of happiness. We call on to God more when we are under a stressful and life-changing situation. God manifests His presence in many different ways and He asserts his power over our lives by putting us into tests and trials. We may not understand God's ways, but we can always rely that His motives are pure and for our own good.



Do you have other ideas on how I can memorialize the life of my baby angel? If you have experienced miscarriage, what did you to remember the life of your little one? Please leave a comment below and let's share ideas. It will be a long road to recovery and I expect to catch myself cry again. But one thing is for sure, I will always remember my baby! 



VALENTINE'S DAY GIFTS FOR YOUR HUSBAND

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Looking for the perfect Valentine's Day gift for your husband can be really daunting. I personally find it difficult to look for gifts for men especially my husband. He's the kind that would appreciate what you will give him but would be turned off if you spent loads just to purchase the gift. It's not that he is being ungrateful. He is just the quintessential example of a super practical man of the house. He is just a simple man so he says so he requires nothing but necessities. He ain't basic so to speak but he's happy with basic things that he could wear or use again and again. How about you? Do you have this dilemma as well?

Come to think of it - husbands actually have an easier task when buying gifts for their wives or girlfriends for that matter. Of course, you know how it easy it is for women to appreciate even just a box of chocolates and a bouquet of flowers on any occasion. Give any woman flowers and she would "temporarily" forget that she really wanted a new handbag more. Hint hint!


As Valentine's Day approaches and considering that the husband will be traveling for work again before the month ends, I have put together a list of gift ideas that I think he would like. I threw in a few more items that wives like me who might need a little help in the gifting department would fortunately appreciate. Yes, just to be very clear, gifts may not be the tangible things that you can buy in stores but my list includes priceless ways you with which you can bless your husband this year and the years to come. These items could be given on any occasion really if you ask me.  Of course, if you opt to make homemade gifts, that would be a great idea as well.

1. Camera - my husband visits a minimum of 5 countries for work in a span of 2-3 months and it would be nice if he can capture photos from each country he visits so he can keep mementos of his time in it.

2. Grooming Kit - I always make it a point that my husband's grooming kit is stocked and complete. It has his shaving products as well. There's scrub, soap, hand lotion though he rarely uses it, lip balm, shampoo and conditioner, shaving cream and body lotion.

3. Mobile phone upgrade - mobile phones are considered as a necessity now and not a luxury. Gone are the days when only the rich and famous can afford the best phone with the best features. I would not think twice of buying this for him because it is an important part of our relationship - long distance relationship for most months of the year.

4. Watch - I've never given my husband a watch so I guess this would be the perfect year to do it. I just don't know which brand to get but this will be in y to-do list in the next few days.

5. A good book - my husband loves to read so I'm going to pick out a book to add to his collection.

6. Prepare a meal - at home! Yes, at home! Who says you can't have a date night at home? Prepare your husband's favorite food and cook it a la Master Chef complete with restaurant quality plating and ambiance.

7. And of course a little bit of fashion - I'm very comfortable shopping online so I checked https://www.stand-out.net while they're having their winter sale. The site is full of stand out men's clothing trends as well as men's footwear.

I hope you found something interesting in my list. I also hope that the list helped you decide for the perfect gift for your husband or boyfriend as you look for something that would truly mean something for him. Even if my husband frowns upon lavishing him with gifts, I say I don't do this often so any purchase would always be justified. Keep this list and make it as your reader reference when you finally go shopping.

If you have more to add to the list, please let me know by leaving a comment below. Happy gifting!



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