on caprice and whims

3.2.14

birthday 'notification' invitation

You know when your caterer asks for a head count to do their costing and offer you their lowest amount per head, and you can't answer them with (even an estimated) number, because your event date falls on the most popular date to go somewhere for vacation, and you worry about people not showing up, and you don't know if you'll bring the number of guests down or what? Yeah, that's what we had two weeks ago. So we thought, "let's tell the world as early as now about the party (which is 2 months and a half early, btw), so we can get replies from guests (on whether they can make it or not), and if we're lucky, we can get confirmations." Thus this "notification" invitation. Basically just to inform/remind them of the date, and (this is the main goal), get them to reserve.

A friend who is an amazing digital artist made this illustration. Our theme is enchanted forest, so I asked for a sleeping baby fairy on grass, having the night sky, and fireflies for a magical look. And oh my I think she did wonderful! Very pretty that now I don't know where to put the text for details, bec I don't want to ruin such a cute design. Help me decide?:)

HAHA I'M SO EXCITED AND I JUST CAN'T HIDE IT. I'M ABOUT TO LOSE CONTROL AND I THINK I LIKE IT. Or something like that.

Comment, email, message me if you want the original illustration (without text).

29.1.14

of celebration, happy faces, and vsco

Aka the official new year post. I'm sorry, no list here, of things to change into, or change from, or of things to achieve, such as a definite number of books, or places to hit. Simpler, no big words here. I'm too lazy. Or discouraged. But mostly, lazy.

HERE'S TO WELCOMING MYSELF TO THE WORLD OF VSCO PHOTOGRAPHY!
Cheers!

Link, btw: http://meilinantazo.vsco.co/

I should properly start, for formality, with a schmabanging HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY! Almost the end of the first month of the year, I am late, obviously. Anyway.

Little Elle Belle turned 9 months fourteen days ago. She's too adorable! My phone has too much photos. Of her smiling, of her wrinkling her nose, of her sitting down by her own, and very recently, of her standing up holding onto her crib. GAH I can hug this bbgurl forevs! You know there have been studies, telling parents [sort of -- I'm paraphrasing here] to avoid saying these magic words, 'You're handsome/pretty!', or any other version of it, to their kids . But heck! This little girl's such a cupcake!

As promised (we made a wittle promise to Gabe), we got them this teddy bear cake from Tous Les Jours. And being *cough* crafty, I made this topper (I made the layout using MS Word, printed it on paper, cut and taped it to two candlesticks). TADAH! I am feeling too proud for something too, uhm, plain.

Gabe to the rescue! He loves this part, candle blowing, for some reason. Ya know. Kids.

Here are photos from Christmas night. I made them wear matching teddy bear pajamas. We had hot coco, opened the gifts, it was really fun actually! It was our first Christmas in our very own house, and we were too excited, my husband and I, and we thought 'we should make our own Christmas tradition'. And I suggested (husband got no choice), MATCHING PAJAMAS AND HOT COCO. And watching Disney movies while waiting for the clock to strike twelve.

I took photos everyday, but these got to be my favorite out of (way lot of) bunch! My husband, when he was still my boyfriend, gave me this hat, because I was known to like cute stuff and bears, specifically panda bears, so he got me the hat from his Hong Kong trip, and I thought it was the cutest thing ever, until I got my kids that is!

Gabe has his fair share of photos. Mostly, consists of hugging and/or kissing his little sister.

And funny faces. A lot of funny faces. Oh Batman, I mean Gabe!

And because I kind of said I would show the house, our new and very much our own house! Tadah! Here's part of the living room. (While watching American Idol on Star World) So white and empty, eh? I don't know what to do with the walls! HELP!

That's it.
HAPPY 2014 YOU GUYS!
Be merry. Love deeply. And rock this year to fullest!

14.1.14

soulful hannah

[Unofficial ] first post of the year goes to... obsessing over Hannah. I will love this girl forever! Such talent. It's rare to see [wedding] photography, which, rather than decor and food, captures magic in moments and works with emotions.

Here's a different take on a wedding album; the emphasis is purely on her, the bride. This is so magical and soulful. For the whole album, click here.

"I wonder if ever
I will be a bride
with a white lace gown,
standing in front of everyone
looking beautiful
because someone
loves me
that much."
- Hannah Nicole, photographer based in Minnesota

20.12.13

the lover's dictionary and the first phone call from heaven

Rarely, I find myself parallel-reading two books. And I wonder, when did I ever love being in and under this state?

I dreamed of writing. Not just about you, but "YOU", the entirety of being you, and the innocence and not-so of our love. I wanted to find words, to read, to treasure; those that I can relate to you, to us (and us being us), to our "imperfectly-perfectly-us-and-ours" version of love. I was sure no one in the world can ever write it so perfectly. Telling memories, of love, of romance, and of dreary moments. Even candid, unnecessary, small talks and sharing. Until this.

I honestly think the hardest to write are inspirational sort of books. When it goes far beyond "you are beautiful" and "you are worth it". When it is more than "dictionary-worthy" kind of words. More than bringing someone into an emotional state. The feeling while under Mitch Albom's spell, it is so close to magical, it inspires you to be better, to write, and to celebrate life and death. To live knowing both exists in each other, death in life, and life in death. And to live more than success, more than finding love, more than our society, and more than existence.