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I'm moving my garden to a tumblr home. It’s got better sunshine warm enough for the bees and dragonflies, and it’s got a new seascape that I’m inlove with. (But I would surely miss blogger's comment button.)

Let’s be merry and love like crazy!

Dream Catchers

These girls came to me before bed. Maybe they had invited Morpheus for a tea that he forgot to spun me a dream.

Doodle Therapy

Sometimes all I need is my favourite pad and 0.1 fine pen to lay my mind off to worldly things, to dance away with my make-believe creatures. The above photo is just a part of the unfinished illustration which I plan to finish hopefully tomorrow night.

wishing for a dreamless sleep

I am a vivid dreamer and about 99% of my dreams I remember. The minute I wake up, my mind adjusts back to reality as the dream scenes comes to me in backwards. It used to be a habit, a practice that I mastered until one day and onwards, the remembering comes out naturally.

The hardest part of dreaming is feeling every bit of you is AWAKE. You feel the water rushing in your body, you feel the little waves on your feet, you feel your body explode - in slow motion - literally, your knees ache of running, you feel the weight of your body when you fly, you smell damp morning soil on your bare feet, you feel the clothes your on, you can see veins when you hold hands.

I don't mind dreaming really because it's mostly kind of amusing. But the latest morning dream I had is tormenting me. The most vivid yet, the most tragic, and the most cried out after-effect I've experienced. It was soul-draining.

With that I would like to call out to Morpheus to leave me for a while. At least let me have a good dreamless sleep tonight.

fashionably dreaming in wonderland

I don't care if the story or plot or characters are predictable. I simply enjoyed it in yummy 3D nonetheless.

Besides being so delighted with all the wonders of the Underland and the madness of the creatures, I am most stunned with the on-the-spot haute couture that Alice wore. She changed outfits 5 times! Her fragile pale structure made it more appealing - not that I prefer skinny and pale - I just think she's the right character for it.

I empathize for the grown up Alice beause I dream in full color every night like a delusional maniac too. Having said that, yes, I remember every bit of details of each dream. Except that I can't see my dream people in real life - thank God! I talk to them, make them understand they're not real and that they are just in my dream which of course made them more confused and once it even made the "Dream Queen" so upset that she ordered unimaginable chaos because I wasn't suppose to tell them that truth. I had been their enemy for weeks! But as Alice says "It's only a dream. Nothing can hurt me."

I can also dare things when dreaming, make bolder acts even if it means death. I mostly do heroic stunts because I know that nothing can hurt me because it's my dream and I can control it and I can always choose to wake up. I used to have a dream journal but... Maybe I should start one again.

Creative Mission

I wonder what my Creative Mission is. What can I do creatively to make this world a better place? Sounds like a line from a song but that's been the question that's singing in my head every night before I go to bed. *Gosh it even rhymes.

I need to somehow connect the dots (projects, collaborations, etc.) and create a pattern of self-conciousness that would lead to a more meaningful end-product. Flashback to graduating from college I always knew I wanted to be part of a big advertising agency and make super ads that could move people and well, generally sell. But then, advertising seemed more like a show rather than the truth these days. Or maybe I haven't been into that side of the fence anymore.

My greater mission should be more than just being a good mother to my boys and a good wife to my one and only. I must do more so that when I die, I turn back into a faerie who smiles with pride from heaven.

i need a doll.

Someday I'll have you and your trunk.

I'll make awesome outfits and we will play dress up together.

And you will be my baby girl.

wearing his t-shirt again

Husband's Levi's t-shirt (tied with a knot), my rolled-up Levi's jeans, ukay halter string polka dot top, New Look sandals, really really old heart buckle belt from GAW.

Sense of Sight : Photography Exhibition

Last month, I got a call from a friend asking me if I do modeling job. Are you kidding me?? I thought it he was just making a funny hi-hello-kumusta intro and maybe just looking for a design-related help. Apparently he was serious: He was looking for a 16-year old female for his photography project. This has got to be a joke.

Of course I couldn't say yes. I mean I would put shame to his project if I would look my age and the fact that I was lying about my age might get me into trouble!

I soon found out that this is going to be for an exhibition/competition for Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai and Dubai Community Theatre and Arts Centre (DUCTAC) to support and creatively challenge local artistic talent and to promote the importance of regular eye screening.

Pretty cool eh? SENSE OF SIGHT as it is called.

3 - 24 February 2010

And so Kahlil gave me his vision:

"To go about this, I'd have a loose narrative about a woman in her thirties who creates a photo album about her older sister's life spanning 20 years. To create these pictures in her mind, she will have to rely on her memories about her sister and how the world looked like when she was still able to see. In effect, the sister will have grown up from teenager to adult without looking any older than how the woman remembers her. Also, the world will become more and more colorful as the years pass on as the woman's memories fail her and her imagination fill in the gaps."

With that idea, I just had to do it. It was clever and I can imagine the creativity unfolding. Besides, I then realized, it wasn't really about me being 16 years old and deceiving the viewers - it was me being part of something unique and exciting.

The session was easy. Well you know, I didn't wear any makeup and my hair's not in it's proper manners - so it looks like I'm very raw. We finished shooting within two saturdays and I sure hope I pulled it altogether. I hope the photographer, one of my most admired shutterbugs, did not regret in taking me. It was all fun and all good having friends come over our home.

Lastly, I hope he wins! Go Kahlil!

i miss sewing (and crafting)

I miss my sewing kit, I miss marveling at my fabrics, I miss staring at and smelling my paper collection, i terribly miss my kuti-kuti box. *Sigh.

My favorite projects:

I made this for my eldest son when he first joined a playgroup. It was his plain painting apron and I wanted to personalize it.

I made this for Akii on his Christening Day. I bought a plain swaddling blanket and customized it with his name on it. It just fits him perfectly...

My very first attempt to sew a baby bootie by hand. Imperfect, humble, raw, sewn with love. It's funny and akward but I'm proud of it's courage. It's only a left bootie because I decided I need to make one that's at least worthy of my little baby before I do a pair. Sadly until now, I couldn't find time to do it again.

With no pattern or sample in hand, I only had to take advantage of my imagination. Using a BeeSquare fabric and from my cut-off shorts left over, a recycled velcro from my mom's bag (thanks momi and sorry!) this little baby came to life.

I know these are not much of a sewing grand parade, but I am enjoying every second of creating them. And tonight is just one of those nights I wished I had my tools.

Trip to Pandora with 3D glasses on

One day, husband says I should take a break and go watch a movie. But not just in an ordinary big screen, he wants me to experience Avatar in 3D. At first I was hesitant and joked shopping (or sleeping) sounds more inviting. He told me if I miss this one out, I would regret it for the rest of my life. Yes we are movie junkies. 3 movies in one day was normal for us or arriving home by 3am while I was pregnant. When the boys came, the habit became minimal and so we turn to the mighty Vuze.

I had to take this opportunity. Well, you know we're taking turns.

Right as I put the on the 3D glasses, I can hear me say "hala...." marveling while Alice In Wonderland trailer unfolds. (But I so hated that cheshire cat grinning right up to my face. It looks evil!) It takes a bit of getting used to. As my eyes adjust, my mind flies away to Pandora.

I can almost touch that bioluminescent airborne jellyfish! It's like 5 inches near me! I thought it can even be one of my "ten tickles" kind of creature. I felt I've known this place, or dreamt it with me hovering in space. Amazing.

The film made me think how beautiful our planet would've been if technology never came or civilizations were contented. We could've harmoniously connect with the elements and all other creatures and money wouldn't have ruled us. But then again, you know humans can never be satisfied by just actually living...

As I walk out of the cinema my eyes were literally adjusting back to reality. I miss my boys already.

old for the new!

My first post for Twenty Ten. I love saying twenty-ten! It sounds promising. It feels right.

It was the craziest end-of-the-year adventure for our family. We've shifted to a new place - (bigger play, sleep, munching spaces for the boys) so that means we had a lot of packing and unpacking to do. Organizing: scissors, crayons, laundry basket, shoe racks... the list goes on! And since our new home is fully furnished, we had a hard time disposing or giving away our bed, couch, dining set even up to now. Anyone want an extra bed??

The outfit doesn't really say anything "new". But this is what I wore on new year's day - I just had to record it. This is my comfy facing-the-new-year getup - ready for the big mess, for my boys bedtime gitikanay, for welcoming twentyten simply. It's a style I'm going to wear throughout 2010: old for the new. 2009 had moments of big expectations yet accepting my worth in the end.

Details of my favorite old navy canvas shorts paired with 99 pesos top and a Bershka jacket.

Dpict Illustration Exhibition : the opening

The opening starts at 7 but so far, the hall seems to be quiet. Suddenly I wished my friends in cebu were here, it would've been warmer and all fun.

I have brought my journals and postcards for sale from papersandtschai. They look happy. Oops. They're upside down! Wait let's fix this... and I need to put my iamgovinda cards.

Finally, Erik arrives. We had all the time looking at each piece of work, realizing that some are quite humorous, some are innovative, but most of them are really amazing. I'm going to do a separate post about them.

After two years of chasing each other's schedule, we finally meet again!!! I was so thrilled to see Chichux last night. I hugged her like crazy. Nothing has changed really - I'm still gamay and she's still slim as ever. Well ok except for one thing: she already has the coolest tattoo on her left foot.

I met some monkeys. Not in a racist way of saying it, I really did, they say they're the Brown Monkeys. They're really nice and typical pinoy-funny. They say I might join them soon. Well I can't wait to be a brown monkey! :)

We were getting hungry so we head out to the foodcourt to grab a pizza, spaghetti, burgers and fries. I'm so lucky to have these guys in Dubai! We hang out and had good laughs. Until I got a call from the exhibit. Ooops. Am I not suppose to eat yet?

When I got back, I met my husband's office mates and they were all very kind to me. I was glad to finally meet and have a quick chat with them. I had to make a tiny bit of doodle to complete the night then I'm home.

All in all, it was an interesting night. I met awesome people, finally get to meet my husband's friends, and made some people wonder at my works.

I'm not sure if this is the official photo of us. But here are some of us. That's me, in a red Gap Kids corduroy dress, brightly wounded in delightness.

the costume

After 3 mix and matches I finally settled for this one. But in reality, the H&M kids vest had to go as the husband commented "ayaw pag costume Tambol." He meant to take off the vest because I look like I'm about to ride a horse. It was actually kind of cute, for him to say it politely and honestly agree that I already look good without it.

Costumes are unnecessary for a happy family day.

STYLE GUIDE: build a portfolYOU!

Portfolyou sounds really funny, I know! But it's true, your portfolio is branding YOU online. So it's important that you get the message out there: Who you are and what you do best.
I am in the middle of remodeling my portfolio website again. If I get it all done, it's my 10th design since 2004. I am easily displeased, not because I have done it bad. It's just being the typical me squeezing in a healthy creative exercise, recreating a fresher and straight-to-the-dot navigation, even if I just uploaded a "new" look last month. Or maybe I'm just really *yawn* with my current website.

I made a short guideline in building your portfolyou websites:

✔ Showcase. Only those that are worthy. Do not put anything half-baked. Yes, even if that means showing only three print ads. Show them what you are made of!

✔ Easy driving. No one likes a complicated navigation. It may be fun the first time, but when you feel that it's beginning to annoy you, scrape it all up and start from scratch. Take it easy. Remember: the simpler, the cooler.

✔ Blah blah blah. Keep your "who i am" page short. Short but precise. Precise but friendly. Your online voice should be well coordinated with you offline.

✔ Style smile. Lastly and more importantly, build a portfolio website that takes a smile on style. Have a trademark or a logo or whatever that which makes your home online truly YOU - with your name written all over the place. Oh but don't overdo it. Do not shout and never boast. Just smile with your own style.

mind your own bangsness

CUT!

DPICT Illustration Exhibition

"Illustration brings words to life through visual representation, depicting reality in a recognisable form whilst delivering a clear and strong message. DPICT will explore this concept and will help to create a network among illustrators as they view each other’s work and initiate a dialogue about their common passion."

This is going to be my first ever exhibition outside Cebu. I'm thrilled, scared, and excited all at the same time. I'll be sending my framed artworks tomorrow. Yay!

Opening: 16 December 2009, 7pm

Exhibition runs until 7 January 2010

at the Gallery of Light, Manu Chhabria Arts Centre

DUCTAC, Level 2 MOE, Dubai

For more information call DUCTAC: 04 341 4777

or visit www.ductac.org

Timings:

9.00am - 10.00pm (saturday to thursday)

2.00pm - 10.00pm (fridays & holidays)

oh oh boots!

One of the best things in being petite: you get to wear items in the teens or kids section thus making you pay less!

I was torn between the black suede rouched boot and the flat heeled brown boot of new look. The black one slipped perfectly on me. It was smooth and it felt very comfortable even with a little bit of heel. But I wasn't sure if it was really practical - you know having two boy huggers running around. So I fell inlove with that brown thing. So inlove that I just had to play dress up for 5 minutes.

other kiddie items include: GUESS kids shorts, Bossini jacket.

Ten Tickles in Watercolour, Pen and Ink

I decided to have it on a big watercolour board. (Sorry for the term "big". I still have to find that ruler!) My excitement was just too immense than my fear of a blank canvas that's almost taller than me.

After having laid every tickley creature for a week, the final and most delicate step was to work with ink to get that "perfect" splatter across the whole artwork. It was crazy-scary that my husband had to remind me not to get carried away.

This is "ten tickles" in watercolour, pen and ink all set for framing for my upcoming DUCTAC exhibit, "Dpict". I am fairly satisfied and overjoyed with the final output. It seems I like it better in paper than in digital. Maybe because it offers more risks and thrills and you can never rely on that magical cmd+Z. Looks like I might get a new - old - habit back.

Some details of the work:

View my other two works here.