New Local Shoe Brand Find: Blooms & Petals PH

In today’s trying times, the only way we can survive this pandemic is by helping each other into economic recovery. No better way to do this than to support local businesses.

Blooms & Petals PH is a new brand in the market, having started only in June this year over coffee with a friend. The brand specializes in customized shoes and accessories.

blue blooms and petals shoes 2

Wanting something unique for myself, I had a blue pair of ballet shoes with pom-poms from the brand. I was pleasantly surprised that the ballet shoes featured a buttery soft faux suede upper and the sole was moderately soft, too.

blue blooms and petals shoes

Shoe prices range from PHP549 to 1,199 depending on the materials used. Customized shoes start at PHP650. WHat’s unique about her team is that they ask for the clothes that will be worn with the shoes or the accessories that will be used. The owner wants only the best customer services for her clients, and even offers to replace the shoes if the customer is not satisfied.

Overall, I recommend Blooms & Petals PH if you want to support a local brand.

ANA Classica Solid Perfume Open Locket

ANA Classica Solid Perfume Rocks!

Cousins Amiel and Arriane had made scents named and inspired by their childhood heroines to re-introduce the age-old technique of solidifying perfumes. Did you know that solid perfumes were used from the Renaissance period and were even used all the way back to the Ancient Roman and Egyptian times? Now ANA Classica is bringing solid perfumes to the Philippines!

These homemade solid perfumes have been meticulously selected and sourced from all-natural and organic ingredients. No alcohol, preservatives nor petroleum!

ANA Classica Solid Perfume Open Locket ANA Classica Solid Perfume

This means that solid perfumes tend to be better than liquid perfumes in the sense that:

  • There’s no spillage!
  • Easy to use to apply to specific points of your body.
  • Scent is mild–neither offensive nor suffocating to other people.
  • Moisturizing and non-comedogenic.

The five vintage locket necklaces include a collaboration with Sining Seleste, a local artist who hand-paints one of the lockets. These lockets are made of stainless steel and are hypoallergenic and non-tarnish. They can even be worn by acidic people! Each locket contains 1.5 ml of solid perfume, and when worn, gives off a hint of the scent it encases.

The mini diamonds meanwhile contain 5ml of golden caramel solid perfume. The golden caramel coloring leaves a hint of sparkle on your skin–so it also doubles as a highlighter!

The scents

Victoria – Inspired by Queen Victoria, this classy scent is fresh and fruity–it has a fantastic pear note with a hint of rose.

Shelley – Inspired by author Marie Shelley, this scent is a chronicle of sweet and fruity with cherry, plum and vanilla notes.

Cleo – Inspired by Egyptian queen Cleopatra, this scent is an alluring composition of jasmine and vanilla notes.

Marie – Inspired by Marie Curie, this scent is a complex mix of rose and citrus notes.

Frida – Inspired by artist Frida Kahlo, this scent is a warm blend of vanilla, cherry and amber with a hint of milk. <–This scent I personally love!

Quick review

PROS

  • I like that it comes in a locket form–makes you smell good even when you’re not directly wearing perfume!
  • Lasts long on my skin–up to 6 hours, but for some people it can last as long as 8.
  • The scents are gorgeous–each one is perfect for every mood.
  • Comes at a reasonable price.

CONS

  • The solid perfume comes available in two sizes only- the locket which is 1.5 ml and the diamond which is 5 ml.
  • Because of the shape, it would be hard to scrape off the solid perfume in the diamond as soon as it’s about to run out.

Price list

Solid perfume locket PHP 399

Mini Diamond PHP 150

Locket Refill (not yet available) PHP 49


Where to buy

FB: https://www.facebook.com/anaclassica.ph/

Shopee: https://shopee.ph/anaclassica.ph

Ortigas Art Festival

5 Exciting Reasons Why You Should Visit the 3rd Ortigas Art Festival

Featuring local and international artists, Ortigas Art Festival 2020 has quickly become a go-to event for all those who love the arts. In just three years, it has created ripples throughout the Philippine art scene and has managed to pique the interest of all art lovers.

Whether you’re a serious art collector or just someone who appreciates Filipino artistry, you’re bound to awed in by the vast number of art pieces to be shown, as well as the interesting line-up of artists to be featured at the exhibit. Watercolors, acrylics, sculptures…prepare for a feast of the senses.

Ortigas Art Festival
Here are five reasons why you definitely have to check out the festival:

1. Its curator is one of the most talented in the art industry
The pieces at the Ortigas Art Festival were especially chosen by Renato Habulan, resident curator of Eskinita Gallery. The multi-awarded Habulan has been a prominent and prolific social realist since the 1970s. His views are masterfully captured in his award-winning watercolors, non-representational art, and assemblages. With Habulan as curator, you can look forward to an exciting collection that will keep you mesmerized.

2. A captivating line-up of artists, galleries, and even bocetos
The festival showcases the works of contemporary artists that are definitely worth following, among them, international artists Arnel Agawin, Julio Austria, Jeho Bitancor,Gala Caki, Reynold dela Cruz, Michelle Dawson, Feliciano Gallardo, Processo Gelladuga, Katrinn Hamann, Sahid Kazi, Leonor RS Lim, Alfonso Medillo, Dengcoy Miel, Rey Padernilla, Made Palguna, Joel Soliven, Art Zamora, and Jose Zulueta. What’s more, works from three galleries will be featured – Eskinita Art Gallery, Kaida Contemporary Gallery, and vMeme Contemporary Art Gallery. For those want to appreciate the artists’ creative process, Papelismo Boceto showcases 300 artworks from over 100 artists.

3. Workshops by local and international artists
Budding artists can develop their skills at various workshops to be held during the festival. Seven workshops await artists of all skill levels. On Feb 29, there will be a Mixed Media demonstration by international artists Gala Cali, Sahid Kazi, and Katrinn Haman. On March 1, learn Multimedia from Michelle Dawson, Made Palguna, and Rey dela Cruz.

4. It’s an award-winning festival
The festival is definitely a top-notch sensory experience. The first Ortigas Art Festival won the Bronze Stevie for the International Business Awards 2019 – Communications or PR Campaign of the Year as well as a Bronze for the 2019 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, for its success in making art more accessible to ordinary people via Estancia’s immersive art rooms that allowed Filipinos to experience global art.

5. ADMISSION is FREE
#EscapeEstancia go ahead and get some inspiration or for a few minutes by dropping Get some inspiration or relax for a few minutes by dropping in.
The Ortigas Art Festival, which will be held at the newly-opened East Wing of Estancia at Capitol Commons, opens on February 28 and will run until March 8. Follow Estancia at Capitol Commons on Facebook and visit ortigasmalls.com for the latest info on upcoming events and activities.

Saidie and me

My top 3 favorite locally-made planner stickers

Ever since getting my Belle de Jour Power Planner last year and joining various planner girl groups on Facebook, I’ve been extremely obsessed with planner stickers! I just feel like making creative planning a long-term hobby since it helps calm myself and regulate my mood swings. It really benefits my mental health.

At first, I’ve been lured by the different overseas shops on Shopee–who would be able to resist cute washi sticker flakes for only Php40 per set?

Eventually I was taken by the cute locally owned and made planner stickers being mentioned in the groups. And while most of them cost a fortune, they are functional and pretty to look at. If somebody asks me which ones I highly recommend, though, I would immediately drop the names of only three. And it’s mostly because these shops have the trifecta: they are easy to deal with, the owners seem nice, AND the stickers are right up my alley.

#3 Saidie and Me – There is a nice story behind this local, mom-owned shop. Basically, the owner wanted to help with the medical costs of treating her daughter so she went ahead and used her artistic skills to design lovely daughter-inspired stickers. A very touching story that makes me love her specially made foiled functional stickers all the more! I got a nice, personalized note, too, in my order, so it made the brand very endearing.
Saidie and me

#2 Poring Prints by Usagi HQ (Curly and Twirly) – Anime fans will love these cute chibi-fied stickers from Poring Prints. They are functional, the stickers are relatively affordable and the shop owners–a couple–are easy to chat with.
Poring prints

#1 Whimsical Cat Studio This is a local brand of quality stickers a lot of customers all over the world just love. The price point is for international customers as well, but the drawings are just too cute to resist!
Whimsical cat studio

There you go, my top three shops for planner stickers–cute, functional and exactly what I need to liven up my planner. They are highly recommended planner brands (and I swear I’m not even paid to promote them! They might not even be aware that a fan like me exists T T) Of course, buying from all these shops will take a toll on my wallet. I have recently chosen to stop obsessing and make my own drawings and stickers instead. But since these brands are just super fab, I could not resist talking about them online.

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Break Down Your 2020 Goals with a Specially Made Viviamo Planner

A new year often marks a new beginning—and with it, a promise of hope, joy, and excitement. Goals are set and calendars are marked, whether it’s getting into shape, setting up a new business, or creating a travel destination bucket list.

It can be overwhelming when you’re faced with the reality of your decision. It isn’t as easy as you thought it would be.
Where do you start to make your dreams for the year come to pass? How do you ensure that you get to follow through on your commitments to yourself?

How do you get rid of being overwhelmed and stuck, fixing your eyes on the prize?

This October, Viviamo!, Inc., maker of the Belle de Jour Power Planner, is set to release a new line of products for their 2020 collection. Each planner is designed to fit different lifestyles and needs while helping its users achieve their goals for the year ahead.

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Discover the Universe Within with the 2020 Belle de Jour Power Planner
Viviamo’s flagship offering, the Belle de Jour Power Planner, uses the theme “The Universe is in Me.” By discovering the universe within, you are opening up to the endless possibilities within your reach.
It features monthly activities that enable and challenge you to live life to the fullest. Also, weekly spreads provide enough space to write down lists, schedules, and even personal mantras.

The 2020 edition of the Belle de Jour Power Planner includes 2020 Goals Pages to ensure that you would stay focused, motivated, and on the right track. Other special pages include a Dream Board, a gratitude grid, and a daily Law of Attraction schedule.
The Belle de Jour Power Planner comes in four distinct and beautifully-designed covers.

Find Your Second Home with the Navi 2020 Planner
Built for the adventurer, the Navi 2020 includes stories from 12 travel bloggers who candidly talk about the places they consider their second home. These anecdotes are designed to inspire and invite veteran and newbie travelers to seek out their own adventures.
Navi 2020 includes a bucket list page, itinerary spread, and several checklists to make sure that you have everything you need to explore and discover a new or familiar destination.

Attract Abundance with the Everything is Possible 2020 Planner
Everything is Possible 2020 is equipped with special pages to help you set your goals, breaking them down into smaller chunks. The planner includes two 2020 Goals spreads, allowing you to list down tangible and actionable steps while setting deadlines for each.

Its cover features water-like elements, alluding to the ripple effect that one small action makes across a larger body of water.

Embrace Gratitude with the Focus 2020 Journal
The team at Viviamo believes that gratitude is one of the most important attributes to a life of success. The Focus 2020 Journal achieves just that, with monthly spreads that feature eye-catching and thought-provoking typography. Monthly check-ups allow you the space to reflect on different aspects of life that you’re grateful for. The spacious weekly layout is designed to help you maximize the space for schedules and other events.

Zero In on What is Essential with the Essentials Planner
Minimalists will enjoy using Viviamo’s Essentials Planner. Its clean and no-nonsense dotted spreads are specially designed for bullet journaling and creative journaling. The planner comes in two covers: classic and pattern.

Each Viviamo 2020 planner is equipped with a Life Declarations page, with the intention of igniting your goals, dreams, and passions for the year ahead.

Whatever your goals are for 2020, trust that Viviamo has a planner specially made for you. Get ready to set your goals and have a meaningful year ahead.

Viviamo’s 2020 collection is available at our one-stop shop for all things paper—Crazy About Paper. Shop for planners and journals at http://bit.ly/ReadySetGC starting October 12. The planners will also be sold at all major bookstores beginning October 2019.

What Does a Movie Producer Do?

Do you know how much really goes into making a film? Naturally, you know about the actors and actresses. There are scriptwriters to create the dialogue and directors to makes sure the talent is creating the right type of feeling. There are set designer and costume designers. There’s also one job that many people have heard of but few everyday people understand. That is the producer. Producers like Heather Parry work on all types of movies (Heather has worked on everything from The House Bunny to A Star Is Born). Read on to find out what exactly Heather does.

Before Production Begins

Before the movie can even be made, producers find the material from a script or a book, tweak it so that it will attract a director, secure financing, and begin working with the rest of the behind-the-scenes team to find filming locations and actors. The producer is also responsible for creating detailed shooting schedules and plans.

During the Filming

During filming, the producer gets to be even more creative. He or she offers suggestions to the director, monitors the production timetable and budget, reviews the video dailies, and ensures that problems are handled quickly and with care.

After Filming Is Complete

A producer’s job is never done. He or she has even more work to do after all the filming is complete. In post-production, a producer discusses which shots are best and which order they should go in with the direction. The producer must also review the film after editing is complete, polish and revise where necessary, and give the go-ahead on the final cut. Producers also work to distribute the film and create the advertising campaigns that get people interested in watching it.

If you want to be in the film industry, working as a producer is an excellent choice for people who are both creative and logical. In addition to having plenty of say in how the movie is filmed, the producer also gets to work with numbers and schedules and truly has a hand in every aspect of the movie-making process.

Misters of Filipinas 2019 pic 1

Elite Skin Perfection Gets a Courtesy Call from the Misters of Filipinas 2019

Candidates of Misters of Filipinas have just paid a visit to Cosmetigroup Int’l Corp’s Elite Shop at Ayala Malls Circuit on 11 September 2019!
CIC’s newly released EZStep orthotics was featured in the event along with brands Aqua Mineral and Botanifique. Cosmetigroup Int’l Corp’s Skin Perfection has chosen representatives from the prestigious Misters of Filipinas pageant. Pamper Party brought together the country’s greatest influencers for a day of rest and relaxation as well.
Misters of Filipinas 2019 pic 1
The event included talks and demonstrations featuring the CIC’s best products.
CIC General Manager Idan Segev, CIC Marketing Manager Jonah Bolaños and EZStep General Manager Moshe Alkobi attended the event. For Bolaños, “This event was created to showcase a unique and authentic relationship the company has with the pageant community.”
Misters of Filipinas 2019 pic 2
Misters of Filipinas 2019 will be held on Saturday, September 21, 2019–find out who will be declared the winner!
Cosmetigroup International Corp. is a duly registered corporation engaged in importing, distributing and retailing luxury cosmetic products across the Philippines and abroad. The company seeks to be one of the leading beauty manufacturers, distributors and service providers in the Philippines specializing in luxury products from the Dead Sea.
#MistersofFilipinas2019
#cosmetigroupinternational
#aquamineral
#botanifique
#ezstepph
#certifiedbloggers
Puppy adoption

You Adopted a Puppy, Now What?

You just adopted a puppy from your local shelter. You set him down in the living room, with your family crowding around and wonder, “Now what?” Deciding on a name might seem like the most crucial decision, but although these furry friends add so much value to our lives, they also require a lot of work and care. Here are a few things you must do after bringing your puppy home to ensure the safety and happiness of your new family member.

Puppy adoption

Puppy-Proofing Your Home

It’s no secret that puppies are curious and like to explore, bite, and chew their way through new environments. Removing any chewable items that might be within puppy’s reach will be crucial to ensuring your property isn’t ruined and that the puppy’s safety isn’t in danger. Shoes, clothing and other soft items can cause serious digestive problems for dogs. It’s best to remove the temptation and make sure all unsecured items are removed from the floor or accessible surfaces.

Proper Food and Nutrition

Finding the right food for your dog might require some trial-and-error. Some dogs respond well to store-bought kibble, while others prefer a more varied diet of kibble and wet or raw foods. Adding dog probiotics can also aid in the digestion and immune system health of your new furry friend. Make sure to monitor your puppy’s eating habits and ensure that they are not gaining or losing weight too quickly. This can indicate that the food they’re eating might not be right and it’s time to experiment with something else. Finding a trusted veterinarian can also help guide you towards the proper nutrition plan for your dog’s needs.

Training and Obedience

In addition to creating the right environment for your new puppy, you’ll want to make sure they have the proper training foundation. While you don’t necessarily need to take your dog to obedience school unless they have specific alarming behaviors such as aggression, it will be important to teach the puppy to be comfortable around strangers and children, to walk on a leash, and what commands to listen for. If, for instance, you have a large unfenced backyard, it will be a good idea to set up a perimeter that your dog knows he is not able to leave.

Dogs can add so much value to our lives, from companionship, stress-relief, and a lifelong bond. This guide gives you a starting point for giving your puppy the foundation he needs to become another member of your family.