my sister, a keeper

A friend posted something in facebook, about how having a sister allows you to experience loving and wanting to strangle someone at the same time.

When I think about it, my sister consistently does things that make me love her more.

And maybe, I do things that consistently make her want to strangle me more.

LOL.

Seriously speaking, I could honestly say that I am very lucky to had been given someone like her.

Today, instead of listing down the reasons why she is wonderful, I'd list down lessons I had learnt from her that some maybe even unknowingly, she taught me.

I am listing my top five.

1. Actions speak louder than words. While we don't say I love you often enough, I do not remember a day--or season where she did not make me feel loved, through asking about my day, sending me sampaloc, taking the day off when I come visit and arranging for our vacations. Despite the distance, she is there.

2. Family is most important. She had unknowingly been the glue that kept us all together. It is funny how she is so oblivious to this, but truly, it is her who pulls all of us closer.

3. Understand, and understand some more. Through everything, she had been nothing but understanding, even when it seems unreasonable or illogical, she keeps an open mind.

4. When you say "forget it", forget it. I think that maybe she hands out passes by hundreds. I think this is what I truly commend her the most for--that is her ability to forgive and move on.

5. Share. For as long as I could remember, my sister had always been generous, not only on material things but especially with her time and attention.

'invented'

I had pretty much completed our wedding invites.

By that, I mean that I had written out the text (as in I didn't google for 'wedding invites text') to express what we really want from our guest. I realised that to us there is a HUGE difference between cordially inviting someone and asking someone to share an experience. You can see where this line of thinking leads to.

I had also layed out the text for the entourage card.

Our direction card? Done!

Truth be told, our invites are practically ready to print.

---

I really didn't intend for this, you know.

I wanted to create a prototype to show the printers.

BUT, one thing led to another and before I knew it, our dream invitation was crafted.

I say OUR because although I did the detailing, it was a collaborative efforf for us. I must commend my someone for going the extra mile (seriously) thinking if he preferred "&" versus "and".

---

As happy we are with how our invites look like, we are still to find a printer to realise our vision :)

Save OUR Date

I made this video, it is actually my first video ever!

I am a little bit sad about the resolution, but overall I feel that it it pretty good for a beginner like me :)

I hope you like it.

ants MARCHing

I can’t believe it is March already.  At this point, I shouldn’t be too shocked about the fact that time runs quite quickly--but it still catches me by surprise!

Admittedly, we had taken a break from all the wedding arrangements in December—and January.  Maybe even the first half of February.

We were however, able to accomplish a lot the last two weeks.

Really.

If you ask me what other pieces we are missing, I’d say A LOT.

But I love how our list is starting to get shorter.  Even if that just means we’ve booked my next fitting and identified our next ocular. 

body issues?

I saw an icon online that I wanted to use.  It is an outline of a bride and groom,  while I felt it had the look I am going for, I didn't want the fact that the groom was wearing a coat and the bride's dress not only had a belt, but also a ribbon.

I'm sure wedding gowns with belts could work; it's just not my style.

painfully pink belt and suit
don't really represent 'my' wedding

I decided to play around with it.

For my wedding we decided we wanted the guys to wear the traditional Filipino formal that is the Barong Tagalog.  And so, the only way this could work would be if I can change his outfit.

What do you know?
I DID IT!!!

I was so happy with my success fixing the image.

I sent it to my mom who said outright, "I like it, but the bride is fat.".

Errrrr.  Okay.

couple 'streamlined'
put a belt on the bride even if it is my pet peeve

I showed my mom the updated image.  She said "Ummm, she's still fat.".

So, I took the belt out, and changed her body type all together.

approved

With this final image, the bride got the mother's approval.

----------

24-October-2103 Update:  I cleaned this icon up a bit more so the final version that made it to our invites (and a lot of other places) is the enhanced version of this.

one and only DIY

So maybe there are times that I feel crafty.  I would sew something.  I would glue something.  I would doodle something.

I do these silly things for fun.  A little less serious than cooking for me.

For our wedding I get asked a lot if I would do anything DIY and my constant reply would be I'd let the professionals do it.  

I don't intend to stay up nights before cutting, sewing or glueing something.  What I'd love to do instead is spend time with my family and my future family.  Maybe hang out with friends too.  Not serious hobby-ing.  It would probably take the fun away from craft too!

I also never intended to do a pre-nuptial photo shoot.  Maybe because I get so used to seeing images that do not resemble the couple in real life that I sort of shrug off the idea.

It's not me.  

---

Nearing our big day, I was reminded that I needed to get our Save the Date out.

Okay.

(Thinking while playing with my thumbs.  Like Butters.)

---

A friend volunteered to take our photos because he had always been waiting to do a shoot with real lights.  That was him saying that I needed to find proper lights.

And I did.  A colleague willingly lent me hers.

self sufficient :)

Come the shooting day, my someone and I prepared by ordering pizza and beer.  With a freezer full of ice and a bottle of Jack, we were ready to shoot.

I wonder if we were all just making an excuse to hang out.  Not that we needed one.

mission accomplished

something Jops said...

I must say that not only am I ecstatic about the photos, it was a night that I'd remember for a very long time.  I trust that it would be something we would talk about over and over and over and over and over and over again.

I believe, we created a new classic.

good times :)

making the cut

I had been putting together an AVP for our wedding.

It really is my wedding gift to my future husband.  It is my narration of our story and maybe a reminder of how far we had come.

He knows that I am up to something because knowing how consumed I get with projects there is no way my being lost for hours thinking, re-thinking, testing, implementing, re-assessing would go unnoticed.

I applied best practices to this initiative.

My purpose had always been clear, so the logical next step was to outline my story telling approach.

I sorted through all the material that I had and created a maybe bucket to which I copied those I intended to include.  I also logically grouped the material to help me as I put it all together.

I had to learn editing on the fly too!  This must seem especially daunting to some people, but really there are tool available that are quite intuitive so I didn't struggle too much.  (I am still learning new things as I go along!)

---

Key Word:  Iteration

I had to revisit my approach after seeing the material that I had.

At some point, I change my approach on specific areas because it felt like the natural flow of things.

I re-reviewed material I initially dismissed and found some of my now favourites.

I edited out material I initially marked as must use.

I completely took out one segment that was sticking out.

I gained a better assessment of what were truly important after seeing the big picture.

---

The last phase of the project, I feel is the toughest one for reasons I can't say without compromising the secrecy of the content.

That is where I am at the moment and while it is not for a few weeks till I get through it, the day I finalise it, is for me, a lonely day as I know in my heart that I'd miss scouting songs, playing clips in my head, timing displays and smiling to myself imagining the moment my someone watches it for the first time.