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.

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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.  

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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.)

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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!)

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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.

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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.

beautiful word

Fiancé.  

Such a lovely word.

I remember having a conversation with my best friend way back, when we were kids acting as adults.  We said that fiancé knocks out girlfriend or wife any day.  Any day.  

Maybe it is the way it sounds.  How the syllables FEE and YAUN  sound low key only to end with a cheerful SAY.  It's a happy ending!

And maybe in our heads what it really means is a promise to love for a lifetime.

---

While I am too excited to wake up everyday beside my someone, I do savour the last leg of our life as an unwed couple.  

There is a high in wanting to be with someone you are not bound to by laws of man and God.  This feeling will always remind me of youth, to which marriage almost seems to be an act of rebellion.

While the lure of being unwed puts up a solid case, it is compelling how I seem to be holding my breath till the day my someone and I are truly us.

---


Fiancé will always be for me, the best sounding of the words girlfriend, wife and even bride. 

To my someone, it is yours that I can hardly wait to be.

just peachy

Here is one of the two posts I 'really' wanted to write relating to the crystal post.

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I went to one of my mom's favourite jewellery stores.  It is a place I frequent whenever I fly back home, but it is not a place I had ever gotten anything for myself from.  They have really nice things and I had tried on more than a few ones; it is just that nothing had really made my heart jump.

This visit was different.

For two reasons.

And this post is about one of the reasons.

---

Something caught my eye.  Not in an in-your-face kind of way, but more in a hello-you-are-fast-growing-on-me way.

I kept it at my peripheral view, skimming through the store for other things. 

And before I can make a full round.  I had asked the sales person to please bring it out.

My mom instantly said oh!  I was looking out for that for you too! which in itself is miraculous.  And I say miraculous not to be dramatic but to be perfectly descriptive.  Our tastes are worlds apart!

I tried it on.  And everyone in the room, security guard included smiled looking at me wearing it.

So maybe I can't really trust them--even if my mom is their regular.  At the end of the day, they are all in it wanting to sell.

What was interesting though was that they were swaying me towards this earring-and-ring set when it costs half of the other earrings that I had my eye on.  Surely, if we are talking profit and sales, they would want me to get the more expensive one?

I quickly shook off the over analysing hat and focused on looking at it on me.  And my mom's comments.

The more I looked, the more I felt something. 

It was a surprise to me that it fit--no, suited me well.  And an even bigger surprise is, I had never imagined or thought of--not once, having something like it. 

If you know me, you would also know that I have a fairly good idea of what kind of jewellery I like.

---

Long story short, it came home with me.

---

I was initially told that it was chalcedony but when they were writing out the receipt, they corrected themselves and advised that it was in fact, orange moonstone.

It isn't orange though.  It looked peach--y.  Not a bright peach but a dusky peach.  Definitely not a cute peach, but a mature peach.  If that makes sense.

---

We then go back to the statement that we are drawn to the elements we need. 

I read a few pages on orange moonstones, call it selective retention but it was so spot on!

Physical healing : for female reproductive system, menstrual problems and hormonal imbalance. <-- a="" br="" but="" good="" in="" is="" it="" match="" maybe="" more="" nbsp="" past="" pretty="" so="" than="" the="" today.="">
Emotional healing : calming and soothing.  Drives away nightmares and encourages sleep. <-- a="" all="" br="" fright="" if="" more="" nbsp="" nights.="" no="" or="" sleepless="" up="" waking="" well="" with="" works="">
Chakra : cleanses and dispels negativity. <-- all="" br="" how="" this="" want="" we="">
Spiritual healing : focus on what is needed not wanted.  Combats materialism and strengthens faith.  <-- b="" i="" like="" one="" this="">

drawn

I have a friend who does everything.  And by everything, I mean that she is yoga teacher, acupuncturist, spin class instructor, massage therapist, Business Analyst and Test Manager!

Though we live in different continents, our work forces us to talk everyday.  There are days we find time to talk about personal matters, and even health and healing.  I welcome those days.


I love talking to her about crystals, touch therapy, transfers of energies and other healer things.  One lunch time during a business trip she told me we would naturally be drawn to the crystals (or gemstones, minerals maybe) that we need. 

Curious.  I wanted to go to a crystal shop right there and then.  I had never been to one, nor felt the compelling need to.  But I'm curious.  Very.

---

My mom was once given a crystal.  I'm not sure for what, or where it is now, but I remember seeing a crystal. 

---

I never had a crystal, but I find that I am drawn to certain stones.  I think it is due to aesthetic purposes as I do associate them with jewellery.  Let me write about it more...


I had always loved coral.  For some reason, I could never truly shake off my attachment to it.  I had a gold bracelet with coral flowers as a child and I had been looking for something like it every since.  Forget that it doesn't go with my clothes now.  Something in me, begs that I get one.

I was maybe, strong enough to resist due to practical reasons perhaps but I had always been in the lookout for coral earrings.  I didn't want to get just any coral earrings.  I plan to get only one pair and so, I need to find one that I adored. 

As far as these things go, coral perhaps is really my first love. 

---

In my early twenties, my best friend and I got ourselves elastic bracelets with Rose Quartz.  I admit that the color really drew me in.  I like the faint pink.

I don't know when I stopped wearing it.  Or why.  Maybe the elastic gave.

That was that.

At some point, I got replacements, three elastic bracelet bands of white luminescent stones.  What kind, I forget.  And I don't remember wearing them as much as the rose quartz.

---

In my mid twenties, I began noticing turquoise.

I hate that they always seem to incorporate American Indian style into turquoise jewellery.  It's not my style.

Last year, I saw a lovely pair of diamond earrings with turquoise danglers.  I was such in a rush that I didn't inquire about it.  I thought that it won't sell until I'm ready to buy it.  I mean, I didn't imagine it was something well sought after.

I was wrong.

I never saw it again.

I'm not kicking myself too hard about letting it slip because I haven't even tried it on.  With earrings, you really need to try it on.  Too often I get too excited only to realise that it doesn't do anything for me.

So maybe, the universe was telling me that I should wait.

---

Whenever I go to Chinatown, I am tempted to get some jade.  I remember buying a fabric bracelet with a jade flower.  I remember quite clearly too, that I never wore it once.  What I don't remember is where it is now.

For my wedding, I was actually contemplating on wearing jade earrings.  I managed to find something I liked too but the price point didn't agree with what I felt was reasonable for something like that.  So maybe it was not meant.

The universe had consistently prevented me from securing earrings from the others category.

--- 

If it's true that we are drawn to certain stones because we need why am I especially drawn to Coral, Turquoise and Jade? 

---

I did a quick google and pulled out some points on each.

Coral - typical gift of a mother to a new born as a protective amulet.  It is an emotional healer and considered a remedy for physical disorder involving blood and bones.  It alsostimulates tissue regeneration.  It is said to bring peace and stimulates intuition.

Turquoise - draws negative vibrations and opens the heart chakra for giving and receiving love.  Aids you to live your life with integrity and truth.  It will assist you to better absorb nutrients and protects against atmospheric pollutants.  Helps on feelings of depletion or over exhaustion.

Jade - have strong calming vibrations.  It is the stone of the heart, strengthening it as well as the kidneys, nervous system and immune system.  It promotes health in organs that purify the blood.

---

Maybe this is like reading your horoscope to some people.  This time I'd choose the other route and say that maybe it is intuition.

I'd like to think that our bodies know what is best for us.  When I'm dehydrated, it tells me that I'm thirsty.

If I'm drawn to something, maybe it is because I am fulfilling a need.

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NOTE:  This post really is a prelude to one (or two) that I want to write about.  When you read it, you'd know.

if i ever lose my faith

I saw Sting live a few weeks ago and really, really, really... I was starstruck.

MAYBE I enjoyed the Simply Red concert more, but I really don't remember being starstruck.

Don't get me wrong, he put on a good show and got me singing his songs for days.  I even have a new found appreciation for fields of gold!

 I promise you, the minute he walked into the stage, I felt something--like I can't stop smiling.  Like I'm giddy.  Like I want time to stop.

---

It reminded me of that Ally McBeal episode.  I remember quite clearly the storyline.  A man was suing Sting for ruining his marriage.  His wife claimed that Sting looked at her and was convinced that Sting was seducing her.  While she didn't want to leave her husband--convinced that Sting wanted her, things changed between them.

I know how it ended too but I'm too lazy to write it out.  Sorry. 

---

My fiancé and I tend to often say I brought Sting, when talking about grand gestures.  It was what Robert Downey Jr. told Ally that night at the bar.  I brought Sting. 

---

My fiancé brought (me to see) Sting.

Good enough :)

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Not suing for seduction.