What a Monday this Monday has been.

I feel like of all Mondays that have ever Mondayed, this Monday has been the Mondayest.

... So much so that even my Panda seems happier hibernating in my pocket.

Sometimes it's so easy to question if this is all worth it.

READING
One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories by B.J. Novak. It seems like short stories are all I can digest these days. This book slump needs to end soon.

WATCHING
Oscars acceptance speeches. The most sincere and heartfelt ones never fail to give me goosebumps. Sandra Bullock's is my favorite. In related news, my boyfriend and I watched The Revenant a couple of weeks ago; Leonardo DiCaprio definitely deserves his Best Actor win!

THINKING
Of other things I can paint. I'm so happy I got to paint again last Friday. I hung out at my boyfriend's house and brought my Sakura Koi palette and Craft Doodle water brushes with me. It was my first time to paint in watercolor again since the year started!

FEELING
Like I'm in the brink of another quarter-life crisis. I guess I'm just asking whether I'm where I should be. I think I need a personal break to myself to figure things out.

LOVING
Art x Music x The Coffee Bean.

It's an event that will be held this coming Saturday, March 5, where The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf will create their very first Cup Art installation at Activity Pod 4 in Bonifacio High Street. Aside from music and drinks, there'll also be a Street Art workshop facilitated by Exld. We invited some friends from the media, but you too can join in on the fun! All you have to do is doodle on your Coffee Bean cup how you plan to brew your best 2016 and post a photo on Instagram with the hashtags #brew2016 and #cbtlph! Deadline of entries is on March 2, Wednesday.


As for me I resolve to make 2016 the most colorful and most magical year yet!

NEEDING
To create things and get enough sleep. Zzz.

I wish you an awesome month ahead. Thank you for reading! ♥

I am such a girly girl and I think it shows in the way I dress up and present myself to the world, the way I conduct myself, and even the way I manage this blog. (◕‿◕✿) And now, before the girliest of all months come to a close, I would like to write about my latest girly indulgence as well as my favorite way of doing my makeup.

A couple of days before Valentine's Day, a special delivery came for me.

A few products from The Body Shop's British Rose range

Shower Gel, Exfoliating Body Scrub, Instant Glow Body Butter, and Lip & Cheek Stain presented on a vintage bike on a patch of grass and those flowers? What a way to capture my heart, The Body Shop!

I used to not care for floral scents because I was all for fruity fragrances, but it seems like my preferences have changed as I got older. I love layering the three and I can't get enough of how timeless and feminine these products smell like! I'm not sure if this range is limited edition or not so I use these sparingly and to make special occasions even more special. I do hope it stays, though. I would definitely want to get everything else in the British Rose line, especially the Eau de Toilette!

And now here was my FoTD for this year's Valentine's Day that I love doing different versions of when I'm feeling sweet and flirty. Here is my current favorite combo.



I wanted something that would balance and complement my colorful hair and floral dress, and I think it did the job well. Here are the products I used on top of my regular moisturizer and sunscreen:

L'Oreal True Match Blur Cream as primer, L'Oreal Lucent Magique Light Infusing Foundation in N7, L'Oreal Mat BB Veil to set, Ellana Eyebrow/ Eyeshadow Quad for my brows, Ellana Blush Duo in Kitten/ Peach Passion, Banila Co Prime Eye Primer, Heroine Make Long & Curl Mascara in Black, Maybelline Baby Lips lip balm, Missha Soft Blending Stick Blusher in Sugar Glam to highlight, OFRA Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick in Laguna Beach, and The Body Shop Lychee Blossom Eau de Toilette

Aside from my OFRA Laguna Beach Liquid Lipstick, my favorite product I used that day was my Happy Skin Eye Am Here to Stay 24H Gel Pencil Eyeliner in Plum. It did stay on without smudging the whole day! Amazing! I need a full-sized version of this.

I wore an old favorite before it gets too small for me to wear LOL

Aaand there you have it, folks! On regular [work] days I just go with my BB Cream-powder-lip balm and lipstick-eye brow combo but I do like making more effort every once in a while. On dressier events I even go as far as contouring my face, heh.

How about you, what are your favorite go-to products for special occasions? I'm always on the lookout for beauty products to check out (in spite of my wallet's protests) so all recommendations are welcome!

In case you missed it, it's Beauty Fair season again in Robinsons Department Store! Hoard and stock up on your favorite beauty products and personal care essentials and enjoy great discounts and freebies!


Here are just some of the amazing deals you can score until Monday, February 29:

I was in 4th grade when I went to the Planetarium for the first time for our school field trip. I remember gazing up at the projected stars inside the dome-theater and being completely in awe of those mischievous twinkling lights. I remember wishing I were an astronaut so I could go to space and see the stars up close. I remember being wildly curious and coming up with a thousand questions about the universe and everything in it. Needless to say, memories of that field trip were etched in my mind and I couldn't wait until I could go back.

When I started going to college, I was thrilled to discover that my university was located on the road across Planetarium! Surely I could come visit during breaks, right? Imagine my disappointment when I saw that it was closed for renovations on my whole first year there.

I hoped and hoped I could visit, but it was not to be.

Until today, that is!

The National Museum Planetarium announced on their Facebook page that they would be offering free admission today in celebration of the 30th anniversary of EDSA People Power Revolution. I shared the news to my boyfriend, not really expecting anything as our next supposed day to go out was tomorrow. But he asked if we could go so of course I said yes!

We chose to go early as we were scared a lot of people would go and we wouldn't be able to score slots, but those fears were unfounded as only a handful went. It was quite sad, actually. We had to wait until our batch's headcount came to more than 20 before we could start. I wish they could've done Facebook ads as well so more people would have been aware.

We weren't allowed to bring cameras nor phones to the dome-theater itself so we don't have photos inside, but I did take some photos in the exhibit.

It was fun walking around the exhibit and reading up on all these outer space and astronomy trivia, but I was more pumped up for the show itself! We excitedly went in and settled in our seats the moment we were allowed to do so.

As for the show... Hmm. It wasn't the show I was expecting, and I don't know what to say.

Actually, I do know what to say.

Gone are the portion where thousands of stars are projected on the dome and the narrator would point out the constellations; the portion where the life cycle of a star is shown; the portion where we could just drown in the quiet yet grand beauty that only basking in more than a thousand stars could bring.

Well, there was actually a portion dedicated to that, but it was over too soon before we could appreciate it.

It wasn't the same wondrous show presented to us when we were kids. Instead of the stars, we had to sit through a documentary describing light years and the evolution of human intelligence with which we perceive stars.

Don't get me wrong, I love documentaries, but I love my old Planetarium more.

As for the years-long renovation that was supposed to have taken place, we seriously couldn't tell where it must have happened.

Since it prides itself in being the biggest star-observatory theater here, I think the National Museum Planetarium should allot enough budget to really renovate and modernize the place. I'm sure it would make the museum more inviting to more age groups. More age groups to inspire and unlock interests of, more people to delight and revive their sense of wonder of.

And for the love of starry nights, I really wish they could choose to screen the old shows instead of the documentary we were shown earlier today.

Still, I really enjoyed today's Planetarium date because of who I was with (hashtag cheese). May we never lose our sense of awe and wonder.

And then we went to SM Manila for lunch and Zoolander 2.

When I quit my old job and started working in PR, my daily prayer included a plea that I did the right thing and wasn't committing the worst mistake of my life. Thankfully, so far it has been a great 3+ years of learning and doing and I still learn something new every day.

I've been there since ARC PR's early days and now that it has grown so much there's a certain pride to be had to have witnessed and to have contributed to its growth. And even though I'm still shy and awkward I am happy to report that I am able to manage and be sociable when the situation calls for it. 

More changes and developments are expected to happen. Exciting times ahead!

Here is this week's Currently.

READING



In Case You Come Back, a collection of poems, confessions, apologies, and promises by Marla Miniano and Reese Lansangan, with illustrations by Jamie Catt. I've always been a fan of Marla Miniano's writing and this book didn't disappoint. 'If love feels strange on your tongue' made me cry and I'm savoring each word.

WATCHING
Survivor: Kaôh Rōng, the 32nd season of reality TV series Survivor. I've only gotten to watch half of Episode 1 and so far I haven't chosen a favorite yet, unlike from past seasons where I chose favorites right off the bat.

WEARING
Penshoppe S/S 2016 collection. My unicorn sweater from Saturday, my tank top yesterday, and my green top from today all came from Penshoppe.

THINKING
Of plans for Friday. I filed for leave from work so it's going to be an extra-long weekend for me! Yay!

FEELING
Happy


... because my former officemate and all-around bb girl Far visited me today! I missed her so. *sniff*

LOVING
My Maybelline Velvet Matte Mat12. Just look how pretty it looks in photographs. ♥

WANTING
To decorate my barebones corkboard.


I finally started organizing my new work-desk in our new office! I don't know yet if I want to display my Sadness, Ron Weasley, and Jasmine Funkos there, but the toys in the photo above are staying.

NEEDING
Sleep. Zzz.

I hope you're having a busy yet awesome week also. Thank you for reading! ♥

I think I wasn't born to be an entrepreneur. Not for lack of trying, though. I'm not sure if it has anything to do with being an ENFP, but since grade school I have tried to jump-start several entrepreneurial endeavors only to get sick of them and stop once they gain momentum. I used to sell stationery sets, paper dolls, accessories, and a lot of other thingamajigs and my classmates were willing to support. Or they just really love stationery. I also used to have an online shop where I sold clothes, bags, and accessories. I earned thrice the money I put out in just two weeks but I closed up shop in less than two months. One thing I know for sure: I love creating things and getting them out to people who might appreciate them. 

This weekend I attended two shopping events and marketed my Krissyfied Makes watercolor postcards. ♥

First stop: Komiket in Elements, Centris

I attended Easter Komiket last year so I pretty much have an idea of what would happen already, but I didn't anticipate the number of attendees! A lot of people who love comic books and art came and it was awesome!

I manned the #romanceclass table with my author friends where we sold books

... and my watercolor postcards.

I took a break from manning the booth when my rockstar arrived. 

We went around all the tables and he ended up spending more than I did. Hee. 

We left before Komiket officially closed because he needed to meet a client. I kinda regret missing Manix's talk but oh well, I guess I will just have to wait for Summer Komiket on April 16.

Second stop: SuperSale Bazaar Summer Sale 2016 in World Trade Center Tent

Alex and her friends Chris, Nio, John, and Jona have been there manning our adjacent booths since Friday but since I had work and yesterday's Komiket I only got to go today.

What a tiring but fun weekend of talking to people and trying to market my wares, haha. To everyone who would like to practice selling, I have two pieces of advice: be excited about what you're offering and don't forget to smile! Thank you sooo much to everyone who dropped by and bought my postcards! I still have stocks with me so in case you're interested, please visit my shop in Shopee to purchase!

There was a time in a not-so-distant past when I was wondering where else I could market my postcards aside from my online shop in Shopee. When the chance to set up shop at the SuperSale Bazaar came, I immediately snapped it up! So yes, you can get my postcards at the SuperSale Bazaar Summer Sale happening in World Trade Center from tomorrow until Sunday. （*’∀’人）♥

For those who are planning to stay within the northern part of Manila and maybe drop by Komiket on Saturday though, I am so happy and excited to tell you that my postcards [and I] will be there also, together with my author friends who will sell their books!


Whether you're single or coupled up, looking for fantastical elements or would rather stick to what's realistic, a fan of YA or NA (or you can even be both, really), the #romanceclass booth has everything you're looking for, so I hope you can drop by and share the feels!

Because I'm me, I haven't gotten around to having print copies of my stories made yet, but I can offer my watercolor postscards! [And you can always buy my stories online via Buqo!]



They cost P50 each but you can also buy a set of five for only P200. These are my favoritest among my watercolor paintings so it thrills me when people say they like them. I hope you do, too!

It's so easy to spot our table! Just enter Elements in Centris, follow the feels, and go straight to Table E59 where we will be ready to attend to you! See floor layout below.


Or, you know, just spot my purple hair in the crowd.

More than anything else, Komiket is a great avenue for local artists, writers, and dreamers to showcase their art. We hope you can come and support us! I'll be there the whole day and I'm looking forward to seeing you! ♥

Hello, everyone! How was your Valentine's Day? Hitched or not, I hope it was filled with love. ♥

As for me, it was supposed to be my first time to experience UP Fair as my boyfriend wanted to take me. He warned me that it would be crowded and it might be muddy, but we were supposed to just wing it and enjoy. I even volunteered to bring my yoga mat so we have somewhere to sit on. Upon checking, we were surprised to learn that the last day of the Fair was Saturday! (ノ^∇^) It just wasn't meant to be.

In hindsight, I guess it's okay because we're not that really musically-inclined anyway. I mean, yes of course we love music and all — our first date was to see Owl City; the first movie we saw together was Pitch Perfect 2; and one of the most memorable nights we've had was when we heard Nate Ruess sing live — but we're hardly the first couple you'll think of when the subject comes up.

What we are though, is that we are good with our hands.

A craft date in Glorietta courtesy of the Ayala Malls #lovemheARTs campaign is the perfect alternative Valentine date!


I was apprehensive about tagging him along to Alessa of Life After Breakfast's Rubber Stamp Making Workshop but he was so game!

Hanging out with Jasmini, Jasmedium, and Batman before the workshop. Jasmini was Miah's just because gift to me a couple of weeks ago while Jasmedium was his VDay gift to me. Hee. The Batman toy figure from the animated series was my VDay gift to him.

Aside from our toys, it was nice to see familiar faces at the event!

Craft double-date with Ava and her husband Gersh ♥

I attended a rubber stamp-carving workshop before and I have the tools at home so I already know the basics, but still it's always nice to learn new techniques, especially from the expert herself. I've always been a fan of Alessa's work so it's awesome that I was able to attend her workshop and share this experience with Miah.

Inspired by my new Jasmine toy, I decided to carve a magic lamp.

I love how intense his concentration was, hee.

After slicing, gouging, and carving, ta da!

My magic lamp and his Batman v Superman stamp I love how the inks assigned to the seats we chose randomly matched the designs we had in mind!

My "You were my wish" card. I am planning to add a watercolor painting here.

Can you tell how excited he is for the Batman v Superman movie? Not bad for a first timer. I am so proud!

The couples' table's outputs! Our stamps with Gersh's Lego heads and Ava's unicorn ♥

Batman v Superman v Genie of the lamp

Fun day! Thank you so much for extending the invitation to us, Miss Emm!

Here is this week's Currently!

CURRENTLY VOL. 7

READING
I finished Me Before You by Jojo Moyes the other day and I still feel sad about it. I think the author ended the story the way it should be ended, so even though it goes against what I normally enjoy reading, I believe it was a satisfactory conclusion. Now I'm still trying to decide what to read next.

WATCHING
The new Lucifer TV series. Miah and I decided to stop buying the new Archie comics and just wait for the compilation, so Lucifer became our new tradition. We're enjoying it immensely because it has just the right mix of snarky wit, mystery, and magical realism. I actually can't help but compare it with Detective Conan.

SMELLING
The new British Rose line by The Body Shop. It smells so good, like you bathed in flowers. I used to dislike floral scents and preferred citrus and fruity scents all throughout high school and college, but I guess my tastes and preferences have changed as I turned older.

WEARING
My new MeNow Kiss Proof Soft Lipsticks and MeNow True Lips Lip Liner. I hoarded last week and got four lipsticks and a box of 12 lip liners and now I'm not even done testing everything yet.

THINKING
Of other things I can do to try to save money.

FEELING
Giddy. One look at my Jasmedium and I get kilig all over again. ♥

LOVING
My Valentine look. I will post about that next.

WANTING
At this hour? Lemon Cake and coffee.

NEEDING
To write more on my journal.

WISHING
For more out-of-the-ordinary dates with Miah.

My first time to ride a double-decker bus was when we climbed aboard the P2P bus from Glorietta to TriNoma yesterday. Fun!

Aaand that's it. Time to catch my forty winks. Thanks for reading and I hope to see you guys at the SuperSale Bazaar happening at the World Trade Center this weekend! I'll be selling my Krissyfied Makes watercolor postcards. Thank you and take care of your hearts. ♥