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.

on the second day in bangkok, i shopped…

the black and white shorts is mine. only the top is for sale.

…SHORTS! and a handful of graphic tees and lace-detailed tops. I wanted to keep all the lace tops for myself, as well as the peach culottes that are sooo adorable but I have to learn from Melai of Style and Soul —- always learn to let go for business. Her online store is doing so well and I am really proud of her. I am so glad though that I found a pair of zig-zag edged shorts (I wish there were scalloped shorts too.)

I know, I should have worn the items and taken photos of myself but rest assured all of the items fit me. I am expecting a few questions on the dimensions of the lace top and the shorts so here they are:

Lace-detailed Top (Off-White and Black):

Length from Back Neckline – 27.5 inches
Depth of the Back Neckline Scoop (of Lace) – 10 inches

Peach Culottes (Shorts)

Back is garterized
Waistline as is: 24 inches
Waistine with garter stretched: 28 inches
Length of Shorts: 11 inches

For local readers outside Cebu, standard shipping fee is P150. If you purchase more than 2 items, shipping fee is for free. Payment accepted is through PayPal, Gcash or direct deposit to my BPI account.

For Cebu readers, I can do meet-ups or you can pick the item up at Drawingboard or Props at Maze.

For international readers, standard shipping fee is $15. Payment accepted is only through PayPal.

E-mail me if you’re interested at gizellefaye@yahoo.com.

There are 4 more items up for sale so better check back on my blog. A giveaway might also be announced within this week!

for now, my good friend Sweet of Pens and Lenss is giving away a Samsung phone. Do check out her blog!

bangkok tales episode three: a dream come true

when we were planning our trip to Bangkok 5 months prior, one of my wishes was to ride, hold and feed an elephant. it came true on our second day in Bangkok! right after the floating market, we visited a place where we can ride an elephant for 30-40 minutes for only 600 Baht. our elephant’s name was Nhuong Nuon and she’s 25 years old. she’s really sweet, kind and didn’t give a fuss at all. she made the ride worth while because she kept stopping to pull out grass to eat and had to poo-poo 3 times! LOL. our elephant driver was really kind too as he got off Nhuong Nuon and volunteered to take photos of us while Nhuong Nuon followed him. i had the time of my life on that 30-minute ride!

we also dropped by Samphram Zoo to watch an elephant show — which was equally fun as well as the elephants were sooo adorable! one young elephant wouldn’t stop dancing, bouncing his head and wagging his right leg every time there’s music. at the end of the show, the elephants lined up and we had the chance to feed them. of course, i immediately jumped at the chance too! other than the elephant show, we also fed a line (or bunch) of crocodiles with chicken meat and took a picture with two tigers! oh how i love animals!

the day ended with scrumptious and cheap thailand street food — coconut and corn fried dumplings, sesame pork (my fave!) and grilled pork & fish balls. we also hung out across the nearby 7 eleven for a bottle of drinks — bacardi for aimee and me and singha beer for the rest.

shopping post tomorrow — 3 items for sale so do check it out!

bangkok tales episode two: floating market

a kind note to all: this is going to be a picture-heavy post so you’re patience is greatly appreciated.

photos are a combination of my canon sx20 and armand’s nikon d5000.

the floating market is part one of the second day in bangkok.

i can’t believe that even in Bangkok, we practiced the so-called ‘Filipino’ time. Filipinos are notorious for being late and this day was not an exception. room 2042 woke up 30 minutes prior to the schedule meet-up because instead of pressing snooze on their alarms, they turned it off. so naturally, at 15 minutes late, we had to enter the van with embarrassed faces as our tour mates might have been slightly pissed off.

we were brought to the floating market by a long speed boat which passed by several houses by the river. it was interesting to note how the rivers has served as the community’s passage way and how their livelihood has adapted to their location. it was really surprising (well, shocking) to see one lady washing their dishes on the mossy river water. we all opted to think that the water is full of nutrients that it is actually healthy to wash their dishes, fruits and vegetables there. *crossing fingers*

the boat ride cost 100 Baht and it was basically just so we can experience riding in the long wooden boats that they use to travel through the market. old ladies who were surprisingly still strong were manning these boats, including our own boat. you can find anything there from noodle boats where you can actually eat the noodles they cook in the boats, boats with fruits, vegetables, flowers, accessories, hats and even house ornaments. the boats travel slowly through the market and even bumped into each, naturally as if they’re not afraid of it breaking. i have to say the floating market is one surreal and different experience.

on me: white boho top with lace detail – thrifted | black shorts – maldita | grey espadrilles – carcar find | straw hat – khaosan road find | black handbag – nine west (you might notice i am lacking my usual bangles and necklaces — i was expecting to be shopping accessories on the 1st day but they turned out to be more expensive than expected)

i wish i can tell you what kitoy and armand wore but sadly, i missed asking them outfit details.

on the first day in bangkok, i shopped…

our hotel is luckily situated beside pratunam, the wholesale shopping haven in bangkok. all kinds of vendors are selling at the side of the streets too so you can imagine my amazement at seeing all the shopping possibilities.

the striped briefcase bag, regardless of how cute i find it to be, i am selling because i realized i no longer work in a corporate office and will not be bringing papers anytime soon. i would love to put my laptop in it but i have yet to purchase my own laptop too…haha! i guess you could say this was an impulse buy which i’m very glad to share with all of you.

*shipping fee not included in the price so if you’re interested, e-mail me your location and we can discuss your shipping fee. for local readers, payment is accepted through paypal and gcash

*for international readers, standard shipping fee to U.S. and Canada is $15. payment is accepted through paypal only.

more items for sale will be posted soon. so if you want the bag, maybe you’ll find something to match it with. *wink*

oh and before i forget, Fashionista Fortune Cookie is giving away Ichigo Oxford Shoes that are just to die for! Check it out!

bangkok tales episode one: khaosan road + tuktuk

before i start telling you about our first adventure in Bangkok, i have to say it is really really (i need to add one more) really humid here. stepping out of an air-conditioned building is such a surprise because your face gets easily warm and you’re just suddenly hit with this unexpected humidity. it is surprising though that despite the humidity and the infamous traffic, the place is not as polluted as the streets in Manila. my first impression? Bangkok is like downtown Cebu, only 3 times bigger with 6 lane roads and lots of flyovers and beautiful buildings.

the morning after arriving, we were lucky enough to get 3 Tuktuks who would take us to Khaosan road for only 30 Baht. the drivers were really friendly and even brought us to this Jewelry Factory and Gallery where we found gorgeous (and expensive) jewelry made of different gems found there. my favorites were the big cocktail rings that were formed into animals like tigers, owls and foxes made of gemstones. my mom bought herself earrings and dad bought her a ring made of her birthstone and even bought my sister, Charm earrings for her wedding this December. as it turns out, the side trip to the Gallery was necessary so the Tuktuk drivers can get vouchers for free gas. I wonder how much free gas they got considering we bought quite a number of items.

Khaosan road is filled with street stalls selling all kinds of items — clothes, t-shirts, handicrafts, hats, sandals and even bikinis. they even have food stalls that sell yummy fruit shakes, fresh spring rolls and pad thai noodles — yummmmm! the items for sale seem cheap but since my sister, Charm has been to Bangkok several times, as it turns out Khaosan prices are a little steep because most of the people who visit there are foreigners from Europe and U.S. nevertheless, i still bought a floppy hat and 2 pairs of sandals there. will post about shopped items on Day 1 tomorrow. *wink*

my outfit: peach lace boho top – thrifted | grey denim shorts – props | beige gladiator flats – parisian | brown sunnies – carbon find

aimee’s outfit – black layered lace top – props | red shorts – thrifted | black belt – props | toms-like shoes – carcar find

charm’s outfit – ripped cropped tee – DIY | black tank top – props | black tulip skirt – props | black sandals – so fab | oversized grey bag – sm dept store

Incorporating Hats in Your Wardrobe

Hats have been used for centuries first as mere protection for the head to soon becoming a fashion staple and an expression of art. The attention of the onlookers is easily caught because of how hats are worn on top of the body. This has caused hats to be a necessary accessory for most people. Most people include me. I have always had a fascination with hats as a kid. I’ve found movie characters wearing hats to be interesting and was then always on the hunt of hats in thrift shops and vintage stores. I have recently revived this hobby after stopping when we moved twice in the last 7 years.

Fall is nearing in other countries and while they are enjoying the cool breeze and the picturesque colors of the autumn leaves, there are people like me in tropical countries who have the sun all year-round. Panama Hats and light Fedora Hats were created for this reason. These hats are breezy and breathable so the head still gets protected and looks fashionable even without breaking a faucet of sweat. Our trip to Bangkok most especially needed light and breezy hats in the outfits as the sun was always out and it was humid all day. For a bohemian girl like me, here are different ways to incorporate these hats into an outfit:

Here’s where you can find the Panama Ribbon Jill

Here’s where you can find the Panama Ribbon Ray

Here’s where you can find the Paper Braid Fedora

Before the Adventure was the Airport

the nearing of the trip and even the journey to the destination is always exciting. despite being tired and bored at times, as the excitement builds up, nothing else really matters. our flight from Cebu to Manila was at 4:55 PM and our flight from Manila to Bangkok was at 8:05 PM. i don’t know for the life of me why we had to stop over Manila for the Bangkok flight when flights to Hong Kong or Singapore were straight from Cebu but we didn’t mind the wait this time. we hardly set foot in Manila anyway and the international airport was pretty cool to hang out in especially with the free wifi at the coffee spot. one thing i hate with 2 plane trips though is yes, the 2 plane trips as i am scared to death of heights and flying. i feel safer in water as i know the density of the water will catch the ship but with planes, there’s nothing at the bottom. maybe i’m just paranoid or maybe it’s because i watch too many movies. i was awake for the whole 3 hours to Bangkok until we arrived there at 12:05 AM (Bangkok time).

so we packed light to make room for all the clothes, shoes and bags we’ll be shopping in Bangkok. believe me when i say light, i mean my suitcase got slightly flattened and deformed when i picked it up from the baggage claim because of all the air inside it. i made sure to pack really light clothes — all made of cotton– just 2 pairs of shorts, a cotton maxi dress and light cardigan for the buddha tour, 2 pairs of toms-like espadrilles and 1 pair of gladiator flats. for the next few days, i will be alternatively posting outfit shots and the items i shopped in Bangkok. all i can say is, Bangkok surely is a shopping haven.

boho top – thrifted from manager’s garage sale
denim shorts – thrifted
white flip-flops – havaianas
black bag – nine west
zebra print fedora – sm dept store, men’s section

Save The Best For Last.. NOT.

Well, NOT REALLY. The first three guest bloggers are making me run for my life! Haha! You guys did an amazing job and all I wanna do now is pass up on this chance and wait for Gizelle to make an appearance tomorrow. You all are making me nervous! Haha!

Anyhoo, I’m Toni of Perfumed Red Shoes and I’d like to share with you a little sumpthin, sumpthin I onced blogged over at PRS. Although its the same concept, I did make an effort this afternoon to re-do the whole thing in less than 15 minutes so I wouldn’t have to re-copy and re-paste my pictures. haha. But first, I’d like to apologize for my lack of creativeness in this particular post; things have been a little difficult these past couple of days hence the apparent dehydration of my brain cells. Creative juices no more. boohoo.

OKAY. nuf said. Let’s get down and dirty with business.
How To Do: Flower Nail Art

First, base color should be completely dry before making 3 blobs of lacquer on each of your nails using the ball end of a safety pin

Using the sharp end of the pin, run it across the blob in one swift motion to make them look like petals.
well, sort of 🙂

Using a pointed object (the nearest one I can find is a coloring pencil) dip it in lacquer and apply a small amount on the center of the petals

Finish off with a layer or two of clear or glitter top coat and…

TADA! I hope I did not disappoint. gaah. *spazzes out*

And since a fashion blog wouldn’t be complete without an outfit post, here’s me wearing…

bought online sweatheart dress. Sinulid cardigan. SM Dept store braided belt.
One Cebu Expo earrings. Mossimo Velika Lace-ups.

MY WARMEST THANKS to Gizelle for choosing me as one of the guest bloggers for her precious blog. I hope (again) that I did not disappoint! AND I am sooo looking forward to reading your future posts from BANGKOK! Thanks again, Gizelle!

much love,
Toni

DIY the Blonds

Hello there Vanilla Ice Cream readers, I’m Philip of Fashion Toy Gun. I guess you already know why I’m here. Before going-on to the real topic of this post. I would like to say thank you to Gizelle for trusting and choosing me as a substitute blogger. (Take care wherever you are, Gizelle! <3)

(NOTE: I’m not a really good writer. Sometimes, I construct sentences with a wrong thought or grammar. So in this case, I want you to just be cool with anything that you’re going to read.)

Now back to business…

I’m so happy to share this with you. Another DIY project that I made. The Blonds ala Samantha Jones on SATC 2, Rihanna, and Kristin Cavallari. Check out The Blonds’ site here. I did this one for one night only and slept on 4 am in the morning. I missed all my classes the next day because I couldn’t get up for sleeping late. But hey, it turned out really good. This is just an outfit post. So If you want to see how I made the project. I’m going to write a post about it some time this week in my blog. (I don’t know what happened to the memory card of my camera. It won’t sync in the computer.)

A closer look. Studs, rhinestones?, chains, and screws. LOL

DIY the Blonds coat, Polo from Mint, Black Skinny jeans from Jag, Black dress shoes from Steve Madden, Spiked Cuffs, man-clutch from thrift shop

<3 Philip.

gatecrash 101

08.21.2010

Hey everyone, my name is Lyka. A big thank you to Gizelle for choosing me as one of her guest post. Aaahhh this is making me nervous eerrr. Kathi, u did a great job!

This maybe a li’l different since i seldom do outfit post and I have been MIA for weeks in crazy/beautiful (follow me!). Im a photography hobbyist and here’s the latest shoot I had with a couple who’s getting married next month. The love birds asked me to do their prenup and iimmediately said yes. I know it’ll be fun working with them since they’re my good friends. Oh btw, a big thank you to cian — my assistant, my driver and my boif(*kisses*). Chuky, my model-programmer friend for assistingand for bringing the basket(hehe) and Maurice for the hair & MUA. Went to SRP for our first location, I didn’t have a permit so my “charm” does all the work.yey! haha Thank you SRP guards! *wink* I wanted my photos to look like we’re in a different place so i tried to get the best angle . Let me know your thoughts :

Here’s a freebie, I know i said that it’ll be different.. anyways, an outfit post! weeehhh

on my way to work.

these lovely rings are from sweet and lee.

top leopard print – a giveaway from Sweet of pensandlens

cardigan – bugis, singapore

bottom skirt – thrifted

belt – genevieve gozum

black shoes – leaveland
ray ban – a gift from a friend

camera ring – a giveaway from Sweet of pensandlens

vintage ring – a giveaway from Lee of spunkandglam

P.S. I joined the Black+White Studio Shoot Yourself! Photo Contest on facebook. Please vote for my dog. Here’s the link : JUST SHOOT ME – Chubby

intruder alert

Hello, readers of this blog. My name is Kathi Eric.

Gizelle is indisposed, so I’ll be your substitute blogger for today. Please don’t throw tomatoes or soda cans at me. Cans are metallic and I don’t have a hockey helmet on. More importantly, I went college-kid grunge today, and orange tomato paste on my clothes would just make me look like I have poor hygiene and not grungy on purpose.

So anyway. Today I’m gonna show you how to make your own DIY popcorn. You’re going to need these:

a bag of unpopped popcorn seeds
a microwave

Now here’s what you do:

Place the bag of popcorn seeds in the microwave.
Set the timer to two minutes and five seconds.
Wait for the ping indicating the two minutes, five seconds are up.
Take out the bag, and VOILÀ! Your very own DIY popcorn!

And that’s my time, everybody. Hope y’all found that useful.

My heartfelt thanks to Gizelle Faye for allowing me this opportunity to share what I know to her readers. And for giving me so many writing topics to choose from, like outfit, photography, fashion . . . DIY . . .

Wait a minute. Did she say “fashion or DIY”? Or just “fashion DIY”? Oops.

(If you want to thank me for teaching you how to make your own popcorn and for changing your life, do visit me and shower me with praises. If you want to throw tomatoes at me, I’m not home.)

red slouchy beanie: F21

gray tank top: thrifted

stonewashed jeans: thrifted

red skinny belt: Charlotte Russe

brown-and-white striped cardigan: thrifted

moccasins: thrifted

melancholic excitement

ever since our family went on a hongkong trip last year, we’ve decided to take family trips outside the country at least once a year. since both my mom and dad are almost retiring from their jobs and all of us siblings have graduated college and are all working, we thought we deserve a break every year. this year’s trip is to Bangkok, Thailand. our local airlines Cebu Pacific, despite some people’s bad experience with it, has regular seat sales and luckily, we were all able to avail of the sale having our round trip tickets at half the price! so we booked our flights months ahead and have been counting down to the day of our trip — which is tomorrow.

ironically though, i am both utterly excited and sad to leave because for one, our grandma passed away last week in Texas and will be brought to Cebu this week when we’re not here and secondly, Harry is still in the hospital and will still be by the time i leave for Bangkok tomorrow. i am very much worried for him as his fever has been going up and down for the past 4 days. he’s had a diagnosis of two bacterial infections and might have another diagnosis of dengue fever. i badly wish that i can cut my body in half and enjoy in Bangkok with family and take care of Harry too.

on a brighter note, that ring on my ring finger was given to me by marianne for my birthday. it is an owl’s head and it has wings on the side. i know didn’t do the ring justice with the photos i took. my sisters even thought it’s a frog. nevertheless, i love it! it has so much character and that’s exactly what i want to exude. thanks yannie for the gift!

also, a surprise awaits you my readers this coming august 20-23. make sure to check out my blog on those times!

blue plaid dress – thrifted (mink)

grey gladiator flats – parisian, sm dept store

owl ring – gifted from marianne

rectangle stone ring – props

layers of gun-metal bangles – props
gun-metal reindeer necklace – bubble bee tea house

dogtag necklace – custom-made

work watch – swatch