kawabongga 2009

2009 is a very memorable year ender for me. So much has happened that I am still digesting everything. I am now starting a new phase in my life.

Looking forward to a meaningful 2010.

Still fuzzy wuzzy to write about my year of the Tiger goals.

tick tock tick tock

bedroom without the bed

view from the kitchen

bulilit living room

kitchen

kitchen 2 love love

Time flies literally, feels like I just woke up and now it's already almost 4pm boy oh boy oh boy....clock I hear yah.

2 more weeks aaand counting.

bulilit flat updates:

* kitchen and closets- check

*clean,clean,clean-semi check

*furniture pieces- delivery on wed- good feng sui

*appliances- Delivery on friday

* looks good.:)

The Road Less Travelled-

“Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveller, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I–
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference”

Robert Frost

There is something about this month that made me different.

Even with the workload and stress, I managed to stay calm. I treat each day differently, I try to mix "fun work" and "hard work" simultaneously. I then save the "best work" as a treat.

I look forward, I plan things. I enjoy my salon days and shopping days. I save for the things that I like and feast my eyes on things that I cannot buy.

I savor the meals I eat,the conversation i have,day by day.

I realized it's a matter of perception. The joy is still found in little things. My day is filled with a lot of these. :)

Ber months, the countdown begins. Christmas is just around the corner.

flowers

Meme, my good friend made a mock up of our centerpiece flower arrangement. SInce we are working on a budget,it is a smart idea to see it in actual. I will be making the square base using old scraps of wood from my past projects. My carpenter finished all 30 already, just waiting for them to be painted.

I enjoy the little details a lot. It makes me happy. :) The flower is called stargazer and it smells good too!

bulilit flat

facade,new extension

entrance

kitchen area

kit area,raw

kit area,constructing

facade,extension

Even since we started the wedding planning, Jong and I always talked about our ideal "home". This is one of our major concerns. It did not take us a long time to reach our decision but the process was very spicy. It added a bit more character and "umph" to our small abode. I call it our "bulilit" flat. Technically it is a 1 bedroom unit in the penthouse of Jong's family building.

It is "officially" our 1st investment. We used our own savings to revamp this place. It is not cheap, being a designer, I am not willing to settle for less. :) But it does not mean Italian kitchen and fixtures (this is only for clients..hehe), it means, trips to swapmeet and bangkal fleamarket, e-bay finds and a lot of house tours to aunts and friend's houses looking around if I can score on some mid century furniture pieces.

I am currently finishing my furniture specifications. Just found the right dining table. Kitchen and closet will be installed mid of Sept. It is very exciting. Tight budget even makes it more interesting.

At the end of the day, the simple girl that I always am, is so happy and thanking God for all the blessings he had given me.

tuesday

This is one Tuesday I will never forget......

Well, I started out my day early, I was up and about by 7 and was already working by 7:30. Just before lunchtime, I finished bank errands, 1 presentation and halfway done with the 2nd one. Pretty good job I think. "pats my head"

After lunch:

I was with mom and my mom to be, accompanying them to Mila, my couturier, for the designing of their gowns for my big day.

Before heading to Pasig, we had a short stop at our "bulilit" (small) flat. Mama likes it, it's cozy, just the right size for Jong and me. "

So, the 2 moms chatted away during the ride to Mila's. I was happy that they got along really well. "i smile" When we arrived at the shop, after the measurements were taken, Mila arrived. She sketched some designs and the mothers started discussing them. In the middle of discussion, i was called in the dressing room to fit my gown.

I was already wearing the white lining of my gown when Mila entered the dressing room.

She started snipping,pinning and telling me that I should gain more weight. She told me that if I lose more, i wouldn't have any boobs left. hehehe!! well so much for censored conversations.

I just felt very surreal standing in front of the mirror wearing this white gown. For the past months,the evidence of our wedding planning are all receipts and contracts, nothing really concrete. I never knew that fitting a piece of white cloth would bring so many mixed feelings. I felt scared,elated,excited,and a bit sad as well. It just felt so real now. I remembered my angkong Balete, how he will be so proud of me, my bestfriend who is supposed to be my maid of honor, my di-ku who is one person that is very excited for me (all of them in heaven now).

In that 5 mins inside the small room i went through loads of thoughts and emotions. I never knew that this kind of feeling existed.

On the ride back home, I said a little prayer of thanks.

lazy sunday

Mid August.

A few more weeks "ber" months will be arriving.

A few more months before I leap into another stage of my life.

LAzy Sunday afternoon. I sit here thinking about how time just flew by. Last year I was just on the plane bound to Manila from this long soul searching inspiring solo travel trip from Europe. NOw, 1 year and a few months later,I am back in the roller coaster of work, and the last leg of the "WEDDING planning".

Yes, this one's for me.

Too much jumbled words in my head right now.

Will write something about this soon. What's what,who's who and when's when.

Early morning..I ponder

Saw residence,Bicol

Co residence,Loyola Grand

Note: Sorry for the nasty potos * sigh*

I have more projects of bigger houses right now. After doing a lot small apartments and flats,one after another, I am becoming an expert in squeezing in all the storage spaces in different areas. Just making everything compact.

Big houses are different. I have so much space to work with that it takes me a longer time to put everything together, longer time to finish. But I love it!!! It's really hard to work on design if you think and feel like an artist. Somehow,I treat all my projects as if I am working on a big canvas. Thinking of the light,shadows,texture,color,feelings and even the smell. It's very exciting to convert all these abstract sensations into a home. Yes,i always go crazy! but then again I still have the "real" white canvas I can turn to.

details details details.....

nnoooniiinooooniiinoooo

Eventful Events:

Finished a wee bit early from work today. Looking forward to a nice cozy dinner tonight. Having the urge of getting drunk. Looking for that little fuzzy buzz in the head!!!

Congratulations Hubert and Tine!!! Such a wonderful wedding,love love le love.:) Here's a toast to a wonderful married life filled with love,happiness and kids. lotsa kids.

Finally windows and shades are up in our humble bulilit flat. A few more flea market finds to complete the look that i am so OC about.

My best friend's death anniversary is fast approaching. Wish you are here with me on my special day. I know you will be there in spirit. Gosh i'm so PMS

list list list.....never ending lists.

farewell

Di-ku, til we meet again.

Prayer for a Happy Death (2004)

By Corazon Aquino

Almighty God, most merciful Father
You alone know the time
You alone know the hour
You alone know the moment
When I shall breathe my last.

So remind me each day, most loving Father
To be the best that I can be
To be humble, to be kind,
To be patient, to be true,
To embrace what is good
To reject what is evil
To adore only You.

When that final moment does come
Let not my loved ones grieve for long
Let them comfort each other
And let them know how much happiness
They brought into my life.
Let them pray for me
As I will continue to pray for them,
Hoping that they will always pray for each other.
Let them know that they made possible
Whatever good I offered to our world
And let them realize that our separation
Is just for a short while
As we prepare for our reunion in eternity.

Our Father in heaven
You alone are my hope
You alone are my salvation
Thank You for Your unconditional love. Amen.

me gusto!

How lovely if I could bike around in a yellow dress with a nice little hat.

exlpodingdog!

hehehe....i want a vacation

I , Love Sam Brown!! view more of his works here

and here too

June

JUNE

The month I get sweeter. 

The month where I think of all my accomplishments and boo boos, events that happened, euphoric and cynical, travels I made, new friends,old friends,new love and old love,fate and faith,what to look forward to and what I should just leave behind.

It's the month where i start to make another bucket list and see if it will be full or half empty until another June arrives.

In a few days I will be toasting to another year. Life gets shorter and sweeter.

lalalalala

HAPPINESS IS FINDING A PENCIL.
PIZZA WITH SAUSAGE
TELLING THE TIME.
HAPPINESS IS LEARNING TO WHISTLE.
TYING YOUR SHOE FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME.

HAPPINESS IS PLAYING THE DRUM IN YOUR OWN SCHOOL BAND.
AND HAPPINESS IS WALKING HAND IN HAND.
HAPPINESS IS TWO KINDS OF ICE CREAM.
KNOWING A SECRET.
CLIMBING A TREE.
HAPPINESS IS FIVE DIFFERENT CRAYONS.
CATCHING A FIREFLY.
SETTING HIM FREE.

HAPPINESS IS BEING ALONE EVERY NOW AND THEN.
AND HAPPINESS IS COMING HOME AGAIN.
HAPPINESS IS MORNING AND EVENING,
DAY TIME AND NIGHT TIME TOO.
FOR HAPPINESS IS ANYONE AND ANYTHING AT ALL
THAT'S LOVED BY YOU.

HAPPINESS IS HAVING A SISTER.
SHARING A SANDWICH.
GETTING ALONG.
HAPPINESS IS SINGING TOGETHER WHEN DAY IS THROUGH,
AND HAPPINESS IS THOSE WHO SING WITH YOU.
HAPPINESS IS MORNING AND EVENING,
DAYTIME AND NIGHTTIME TOO.
FOR HAPPINESS IS ANYONE AND ANYTHING AT ALL
THAT'S LOVED BY YOU.

It's practically free.

i have been humming this song for 2 days now.

Yellow Monday

I feel Yellow today!

I hope I'll feel yellow everyday!!!

slept extra 5 mins today

had a strong cup of barako coffee

loving the weather (just don't rain please)

wearing my blue shoes

it's just a happy yellow day. 

Remembering my best friend.

of blue sapphire and gold rings

que?

and actually achieving it......i'm melting,time to mop myself...heat is killing

bitter melony

I sound so bitter on that last post. Yup yup yup! kadoooper super!!!

Well,bitter melon it is! This year is one hell of an eye opener, nose pincher, ear popper for me. I did meet a lot of nice,odd,weird,selfish,kind,lovable,sweet,over the top,loser and what have you people this year. I am beginning to love and embrace them all. To take them as who they are and to know when and what to do if an attitude emergency arises. Whew.

ooolalala....running again tonight!! 

I wanna be a rockstar

points I ponder,now, that is

How come some people uses other people to no mercy and beyond belief?

How come pride hurts the soul?

Is money really power?

Is kindness a virtue or a vice?

what is self worth

when to say stop and when to say just go on

when is bad bad and when is good bad?

hmmmm...i don't know,i'm just so hyped,so frustrated that I want to run til I reach Spain.

As of now i just need to chill

 I miss my bestfriend

bone white

Birds in white bone porcelain. Love love! le love!

Do you want one?

blanco,bianca,puti,white

now for some updates

So many things happened since my last post.

So many events,exciting,stressful,happy plus all the emotions I can think of......and gazillions of thoughts are running around my little brain and big forehead.

vintage is my new modern,gray is my new brown.

Vintage love

I am Just so attracted to........

Just received a snail mail from my good friend Bonnie. She sent me a dried up dragonfly wings she found near her apartment in Singapore. I was very touched!

"a reminder and token of good friends"

holiday high!

New Year countdown!

Ama's (grandma) 90th Birthday

handing out red envelopes for good luck

love you Ama!

Ama's speech expressing the love she felt on her special day.

Surrounded by the whole family, my Ama is loved by

all of us. 

She is my inspiration.

YEAR OF THE KALABAW!

NEW YEAR 

2009 an exciting year coming.

1. enjoy work
2. save more
3. work harder
4. pray more
5. organize!
6. prioritize

I guess it's important just to start the year right and keep my priorities intact. 2009 will surely be filled with more meaningful events. 

The year that was- 2008

It was a glorious year. It was the year of starting over and really living AGAIN with new eyes,ideas and perception of life. 

The year I changed.