Author Archives: Gizelle Faye Creative Studio

Hi, my name is Gizelle Faye. I am an artist, florist, stylist, calligrapher, letterer, mum, and wife to Harry. I am a bohemian risk-taker who fell in love with an old soul. Three months before our wedding in 2012, I went cuckoo and left my corporate job to pursue my dreams and founded Cuckoo Cloud Concepts. For about a decade, I was the creative director of Cuckoo Cloud Concepts, dreaming up unforgettable and picture-perfect moments from a tropical island called Cebu. I specialized and honed my skills in photo shoot styling, product styling, floristry, calligraphy, and lettering. During the pandemic, I rediscovered my love for painting amidst the dark times. The universe proved a lot more cuckoo than me and sent me and my family on a journey that will find us in Camden, New South Wales. But I vow to always bloom where I am planted. Today, in this new city, I host art workshops and offer social media content styling and creation, and other creative services for small businesses. Here, you will find an archive of my paintings and other works of art inspired by nature, scenes, architecture, and BTS, as well as art events I run in different venues in Sydney.

Dumaguete Day One: Moonlit Stroll

i apologize if i’ve been MIA for almost 4 days. i fell hard in love with dumaguete that it took me a while to recover. here’s day one of our trip — discovering that our very affordable suite in one of the hotels near the famous Rizal boulevard has floor to ceiling windows, overlooking the ocean; each having two of the infamous Taster’s burgers right when we arrived, meeting up with one of Harry’s childhood best friends over dinner at Cafe’ Antonio and drinks at Hayahay then just taking a long walk along Rizal boulevard, with the waves crashing against the rocks and over good conversation.

the food:

(1) our Taster’s burgers — Harry and i were such pigs that we ate two each; the burgers were nothing fancy really as they came with the usual coleslaw and mayo-ketchup sauce but the meat was just juicy even when it was thin and the burgers just screamed home-cooked goodness;

(2) my Jamaican porkchops at Cafe’ Antonio; wasn’t able to take a photo of Harry’s baby back ribs because we’re such terrible food bloggers that we forget to take out the camera before we start devouring the food;

black dress with crocheted details – thrifted

blue beaded sandals – bangkok find

black purse – nine west vintage

necklaces: elephant tusk – bangkok | diamond shaped pattern – gifted from ivy

armor ring and skull ring – carbon finds

i shampoo and brilliance comes out!

i’ve been losing sleep because a lot has been running on my mind lately. the last two hours before my eyes shut down are one of the best times to think. i’ve also found myself attending sunday masses and my head just has this influx of thoughts and ideas that i lose focus. and oooh, i believe that in the process of shampooing my hair, the head is massaged into producing creatives and brilliance. do you believe so too?

future plans. future projects that i can’t divulge yet because i don’t want to jinx it. are you superstitious like that? or is it just me. sometimes, when i want something bad enough, i am so so tempted to talk about it but i get a hold of myself because i want things to be right first before blabbing about it. trust me when i say that not blabbing is so hard for me because i am such a chatterbox my old elementary teacher transferred me to the opposite side of the room because i was always talking. LOL.

one thing is for sure, with my future project, i would need all your support. *smile and nod please!* yes, that’s more like it.

ps. i’ll be gone for the weekend to have a super belated anniversary celebration with Harry in his hometown. on our first year, we went to Bohol. on the second year, we went to Moalboal beach. this year, the plan is to have a food trip among the amazing food places in Dumaguetue.

ps.2. i may sound gross but i only shampoo every other day. and on days when i don’t shampoo, my hair is like this. gross but i love it! haha.

floral dress – thrifted

eggshell mesh booties – parisian, sm dept store

leaf necklace and chair necklace – carbon finds

silver cuffs – carbon find

photo session: alter ego

just because i own a camera, doesn’t necessarily mean i’m a photographer. i dream of owning a DSLR but i’m afraid i’d only waste it by not having enough talent and will to learn photography. when my friends insisted we’d have an impromptu shoot on our sleepover last weekend though, i couldn’t resist. here’s my second attempt at photography. the first one being this one here.

our shoot is aptly named, ‘alter ego’ because i styled my friends in clothes they don’t wear, in a style that’s not themselves. meet the cast:

april, the sweet and bubbly girl whose style staples are graphic tees, jeans and ballet flats or converse chucks.

ivy, the outgoing but conservative nurse whose usual outfits are classic shorts, embellished tees and dresses.

arlene, the funny and spirited government worker whose style is mainly composed of the basic leggings or jeans and feminine tops.

mabelle, the loud and spunky sales rep whose usual style includes denim shorts or jeans and body-hugging dresses.

photography and styling by me

make-up by mabelle

love the ninty percent ♥ ♥ ♥

it’s been said that one of the reasons people cheat is because they continue to search for the 10% that they can’t find with their partners. for a girl, her boyfriend may be the patient and understanding guy that she was looking for but he may be more unromantic than a rock and she continues to long to be swept from her feet. for a guy, his girlfriend may be the pretty and smart girl he’s always wanted but continues to wish she can cook like his mom. i have to admit, Harry is the understanding, patient, musically-inclined, food enthusiast, sarcastic, humorous, smart and caring guy that i have hoped for but he’s not athletic — never plays a sport to save his life, not as adventurous as i hoped he’d be and he doesn’t have those six-pack abs that every girl longs for. Harry only retains information that he likes to retain so he may not always remember what kind of perfume i wear or that i’ve kept anti-bacterial soap by my sink for years now (yes, he asked my this morning why i don’t keep one, even when i’ve only used this natural floral soap my friend gave me for only a month) or that he doesn’t remember to shift to 1st gear first before releasing the hand brake.

despite the 10% that Harry doesn’t possess from my list, he completes me in inexplicable ways. they say God doesn’t really give us the perfect guy from our list but the guy who complements us, keeps us grounded when our arrogance or confidence has us off the earth, loves us despite the bitchy days pre-menstruation, puts up with our nagging and just keeps us safe in any way possible. it’s not only fate that keeps a relationship working, hard work needs to be put into it too. so for those ladies who are in a relationship like me, don’t allow the scale to tip over to the mere 10% that our guys lack. love the 90%..and love it with all your heart. for those single ladies, be patient. yes, there’s no stopping you from making that list of the perfect guy for you but be smart enough to determine the traits that matter. love yourself first and allow yourself to grow. pretty soon, that guy who is not just anyone perfect but the one perfect for you will come along. trust me, i was single for 5 years before i met harry. i allowed myself to grow up and learned to love myself before i could love someone else. ♥

happy heart’s day everyone! ♥

tie-dyed boho top – thrifted

beige suede lace-up wedges – gold dot

elephant necklace – carbon find

diamond-shaped pattern necklace – gifted from ivy

elephant tusk necklace – bangkok elephant ride

brass bangles – carbon finds

pink rhinestone bangles – gifted from india

rings: burnt orange stone | cobra | skull | mini-armor ring – carbon finds

our bipolar weather

if you find yourself squinting when you look at my photos, that’s because it was extremely hot when these were taken. the rain has decided to leave our city and has allowed the sun to shine at its fullest. it’s only February but we’re already dressing up like it’s summer. i guess summer has officially begun here. i’m screaming rain and colder weather but there’s no stopping the sun.

anyway, did an impromptu photo shoot with my friends in my room last night. only used my canon powershot sx20 and an ettl flash. dressed them up in clothes they don’t normally wear and i had a blast seeing them channel a different personality. will try to edit the photos as soon as possible so i can show them to you guys on my next post. plus, my friends are bugging me to post them ASAP as i’m usually the one who’s too lazy to post photos in facebook. i stopped at day 2 when i posted my bangkok photos last august 2010 because i was too lazy to continue on to day 5 and i haven’t posted my new year’s and sinulog photos yet. haha! who here is lazy and a slow-poke in posting photos to facebook?

printed top – thrifted

plaid vest – manager’s garage sale

denim shorts – beads and blooms

floral scarf – thrifted

clustered bells necklace – pratunam, bangkok

layered necklace – carbon find

rings: blue stone + alligator + armor ring – carbon finds

leopard print flats – parisian, sm dept store

Style Inspiration: Anna Sui Spring 2011 RTW

if you’re from cebu, please tell me where i can find a good supply of cheap and colorful feathers. i want to be a hippie and you’ll understand why after checking out anna sui’s spring 2011 RTW collection.

all photos courtesy of style.com

the upside and the downside of things

i won’t assume that i have followers who read my every post (if you do, thank you so much!) but if you’ve noticed, i haven’t been updating as regularly as i used to. that’s one of the downsides i’ve been experiencing the first few months of 2011. work has taken too much of my time that the sun has gone down before i remember that i have to take outfit photos. the upside is that work has been hectic lately because of our new clients and of bigger projects we’ll be embarking on in the next few months. other downsides and upsides:

downside vs upside

i miss my sister so much even how she annoys me

but

i am definitely loving having the room completely to myself

i have to get my car muffler fixed because it’s roaring like a race car-wannabe

but

at least i don’t have to suffer the taxi fare hike

i have to cut back on expenses — so i can’t buy new shoes anymore..gaaaah!

but

i don’t have to suffer the night shift and can work during the day

it’s been said that we can have everything we want in life, just not always at the same time. so instead of fretting over the downsides, think of the upside and be thankful for it. as long as we have the patience and perseverance to wait to be blessed with everything we want, being thankful for the good things, even the small ones, can’t hurt.

so regarding my outfit posts, if i can’t have time to take photos during the day, please bear with the ones indoor that i take in my room right when i get home form work. the lighting may be different in each shot (perfect example: the photos above) but i’m doing my very best. ♥

black lace-detailed top – thrifted

black and white electri-pleated skirt – thrifted

black lace-up cuban heels – parisian, sm dept store

studded belt – pratunam, bangkok

necklace: elephant tusk – bangkok | watch necklace – hongkong

oversized charm bracelet – carbon find

rocking horse ring – carbon find

orange howlite ring – dane’s giveaway

Style Inspiration: D&G Spring 2011 RTW

one of the best things about living in a tropical country is we can dress in spring/summer garb 85% of the time throughout the year. despite my love for the rain and colder weather for the reason to layer clothes, i have such a weakness for prints, florals and color.

as our second trip to BKK (the shopping haven in asia nears), i have scoured Style.com for some style inspirations. this is so i know what i am looking for when i walk their huge fashion malls, markets and bazaars. first up, D&G Spring 2011 RTW:

reality bites

…and so does the sun when it suddenly shows up bringing in warm air after i’ve bundled myself in a cardigan when i woke up cold this morning. the economy or gas prices are more predictable than the weather we’re having these past few weeks. after almost 3 weeks of really cold air, it was such a shock to be breathing and feeling warmer air especially in an outdoor meeting with a german and korean client and you see them sweating profusely. LOL.

anyway, speaking of reality, i am now finding myself being forced to scrimp and let go of my holiday-super-spending days after having computed my finances and finding out i might not be able to afford my way living if i continue to spend like how i am spending. bigger plans are in store for me this year and they definitely need money. i want to say f*ck money but hey, we need it to survive whether we like or not. money simply doesn’t grow on trees. switching to a day job caused my salary to get cut in half but i can’t complain because i’ve been a lot happier and at peace with myself since i moved. so no more new pairs of shoes or even thrifting escapades until june for me. i just hope i can manage this. wish me luck!

striped tee – platinum mall, bangkok

blue striped oversized cardigan – thrifted

skinny jeans – chillypapa

black studded flats – mongkok, hongkong

red studded belt – pratunam, bangkok

layered chain necklace – carbon find

silver bangles – forever 21 from sweet + carbon finds

rings + brown sunnies – carbon finds

F-STOP launches the Hyper collection

i regret not being able to promote F-STOP the first time Melai of Style and Soul shot me an e-mail about it. work got in the way that i missed the date. F-STOP carries a wide array of apparels that would excite every fashionista — from vintage, thrifted, asian clothes and even the most amazing and affordable shoes. if not for my self-proclaimed shopping ban, i would’ve seriously grabbed a pair of wedges from the shop.

on February 7 at 8PM, F-STOP will be launching its new collection called ‘Hyper’ featuring S/S 2011 on-trend items with bold prints and a lot of color. expect blazers, tunic, dresses in floral prints, sheer fabric and lace. although the weather has been gloomy lately, the grey skies doesn’t have to stop us from injection color into our wardrobe as early as now.

check out F-STOP here:

http://fashionstopshop.tk/

http://www.facebook.com/fashionstopshop

pandora’s box don’t tempt me

a few of us here in Cebu know of a place where you can find the cheapest and cutest accessories. it’s tucked in a small street in downtown Cebu that not everyone knows about it. i will not divulge the location so to keep the place a secret. what i will divulge though is how the store has a wall filled with cute, pretty and charming rings. there are also racks of bangles, bracelets and necklaces that now also fill my dresser and my own wall. every time i visit there or even just pass by the store, i can’t resist buying a bunch. so i present to all of you the most recent additions to my collection:

isn’t the cat + mouse ring just adorable? i woke up this morning planning my outfit around this ring. the ring just screamed nursery rhymes and i couldn’t help but pick out this dainty lace and tulle skirt that my mom and i thrifted a week ago. of course, with the clearer skies today, i had to bring out my suede wedge booties too.

i vowed to myself though that i will only visit the store every other month. although the accessories costs only range from PHP10 – PHP150, buying a bunch can still do a good amount of damage to my wallet. so see you in two months, tempting accessories store. ♥

lace and tulle skirt – thrifted

egg white tank top – borrowed from sis

chambray top – thrifted

nude suede wedge booties – gold dot

studded green wide belt – borrowed from sis

eiffel tower + star necklace – carbon find

charm bracelet – carbon find

rings: cat + mouse | purse | bowtie – carbon finds

WAGW presents Homegrown

What a Girl Wants presents Homegrown, their S/S 2011 Collection featuring styles inspired by real men and women in society. i am personally very excited for this collection as i am the type to be always drawn to prints, florals, soft fabrics and layers which is exactly what this collection has in store for us. i especially love the midi dress on camille co, giving a soft and feminine 90’s vibe. seeing this preview definitely makes me long for summer, amidst the rainy season.

check out your local WAGW branches:

3rd floor, the Gallery, Robinsons Galleria

2nd Level, Paseo Ciudad, Ayala Center Cebu

3rd Floor, Main Wing, SM City Cebu

1st Level, West Promenade, Limketkai, Cagayan de Oro City

or you can also find them online at:

http://wagw.multiply.com

http://facebook.com/WAGWOnline