florals – Page 2 – Gizelle Faye Creative Studio

local love: making the most out of it

filipinos are known for our hospitality and our take-life-as-it-comes attitude. we do with what we have and have always adapted to the changes in our lives. that is why, amidst poverty, we still have these big smiles on our faces. after all, life is too short, might as well live it right?

introducing the no. 1 mode of transportation here in the philippines — the jeepney. the jeepney used to be old jeeps that the americans left in our country after world war II. to easily travel through the war-ridden roads, the filipinos stripped down these jeeps to accommodate more passengers, added tin roofs and decorations in vibrant colors. when i was a student, i rode the jeep everyday and to wherever i need to go. with student allowance, it was much better to use our money on food and fun rather than spend them on taxi fares. as a kid, i was always so amazed at how the driver can drive the jeep, take the fare from the passengers and give them change, all while watching the road. i used to love riding jeepneys on peaceful afternoons — where everyone is at work or in school. the roads were open and the wind was on my face. jeepney bonding was great too — just laughing it off with classmates while in traffic. i have to admit though that i am not a big fan of some jeepney drivers who speed up and just pop out of nowhere nor riding jeepneys during peak hours like 7:00 – 8:00 AM or 5:00 – 7:00 PM as these times can be a nightmare. despite these setbacks, i am still proud that once upon a time, filipinos were given lemons and made lemonade — or in this case, we were given used american jeepneys and made a great mode of transportation.

ps. i might take a little blogging break because i think i have dislocated my right shoulder blade. it has been hurting for a month and the pain has now reached my arm so i have a hard time moving the mouse. for the past few weeks, i’ve only wanted to just lie down and watch tv instead of blog and i think that would be unfair to my readers if i don’t say why i’ve been slacking off. i will make sure to read your comments though. let’s just hope that after my check-up with the orthopedic tomorrow, all’s well with my shoulder and arm. i’ll miss you guys!

pink cotton shirt – props

floral skirt – thrifted

tan flats with a bow – parisian

canvas bag with tan leather detail – plains and prints

owl necklace – thrifted at carbon

wooden bangles – props | faux gold bangles – thrifted at carbon

tan headband – sm dept store

brown sunnies – thrifted at carbon

what they call, "the filipino time"

as i am writing this, my friends and i are preparing a bridal shower for our friend, april mae. she requested for this night though so it’s not much of a surprise. anyway, the bride is aware that we’re to meet here at my house at 9:00 PM but my friends and i decided to surprise her a bit by all being here at 7:00 PM and start preparing. well guess what??? it’s quarter to 9:00 PM and nobody else is here but me and candace — haha, the two of us being eternal early birds for all dinners or events that we have. and that is ever since high school. i have a feeling that we will be more surprised by the bride than she by us. we’re bad friends huh?

embroidered peasant top – thrifted

jeans – chillypapa

cream peep-toe heels – janeo

tan shoulder bag – thrifted in baguio

pink and gold layered bangles – from india (a gift)

wooden green bangle – props

elephant long necklace – thrifted in manalili

sunnies – thrifted in carbon

thank you katie holmes

if katie holmes didn’t wear tom cruise’s jeans last year, we wouldn’t be able to feel so damn comfortable and fashionable in these pants. i have to wear boyfriend jeans at least once a week, to relax from the skinny jeans or leggings that i usually wear to work. just makes sense. plus, i hate shaving my legs on weekday…i’m just lazy like that. LOL. so thank you katie holmes!

as i am writing this, my sister and i are waiting for friends to come over so we can head over to the beach and go island hopping! if you don’t know by now, philippines is a group of islands and so strategically arranged that one can never miss it on the map because our geography looks like a sitting horse — at least that’s what i think! we are surrounded by amazing islands and beaches. and in cebu alone, all we need to do is hop on a banca (mini boat) and we can enjoy the marine life — at just 30 minutes away from the city!

it’s funny because other people make sure to step foot on the islands and actually visit them. my friends and i are very much satisfied with watching the island from afar, on the banca and just dive off unto the blue waters! we’d even whine to the driver if he stirs us near to an island — we just can’t stand the crowd.LOL.

red floral top – thrifted

jeans – vintage abercrombie

grey platform heels – forever 21

grey oversized bag – lil’ sisters

grey ombre pashmina scarf – hongkok street

long watch necklace – hk gift shop

rings: blue plastic and pink stone – props

what dreams may come

if i have too many pictures, that means harry is taking the photos and he tends to just click away. if i’m too happy in them, that means he made me laugh and there is also a possibility that i got annoyed at him right after the shoot (or vice versa) — this explains the last photo. LOL.

as a kid, i’ve always had bizarre dreams. not really nightmares (i do get them sometimes) but dreams that are beyond my imagination if i’m wide awake. most of my dreams growing up would entail me flying, swinging or being chased by someone i don’t know. sometimes my dreams would include people in my lives in the most unusual setting (like my family and i getting chased by a humongous gorilla and i have big black wings). at times, my dream would be of strangers i haven’t met before in my life. often times, i’d wake up feeling bothered or shaken but could not remember a thing. the worst dreams are those where a loved one is hurt and i wake up catching my breath, with tears in my eyes.

it has been suggested that i should write a story about my dreams as most great stories come from them. but i don’t know if i want to solidify them in paper. as of now, i don’t sleep with the lights off and i have learned to avoid movies or books with horror, bizarre suspense or violence. i am, however, still drawn to children’s fiction, gothic fiction, absurdist fiction or steampunk genre. so i guess my bizarre dreams will never end.

how about you? how have you been sleeping?

floral top – thrifted

mauve blazer – linea italia

skinny jeans – chillypapa

black suede peep-toe booties – celine (a gift from harry!)

dog tag necklace – custom-made

work watch – swatch

sunnies – thrifted at carbon

ashes and wine

i just love that song by ‘a fine frenzy’… it’s great to listen to during sunset. i don’t know, maybe it’s because the first time i heard it, i was parking on the roof parking lot of ayala terraces and it was sunset. i had it on blast on my ipod, blocking any other sound from the world.

although the sun is out, it’s still pretty much cooler today than yesterday. the wind was blowing my hair all over when we attended mass this morning. it’s the first day of lent — ash wednesday. a time for soul searching. ironically, it’s supposed to be the start of fasting as well but it’s my mom’s birthday today so food is very much abundant! we can’t eat any meat on wednesdays and fridays of lent but my mom is preparing lots of seafood dishes from all that we bought last sunday.

♥♥ happy birthday mommy! ♥♥

thank you for all the love and support you have given us, all our life. you have never failed us. i love you mom!

on me:

floral dress – thrifted

pink sweater – gap

skinny jeans – chillypapas

green braided belt – thrifted

white studded sandals – so fab (a gift from lil’ sis)

layered bead necklace – bought from a friend 4 yrs ago

bangles: pink and gold – from india | blue and gold – hk shop

sunnies – thrifted

on mom (in hongkong):

green dress jacket – thrifted

black blazer – linea italia

brown leggings – ???

brown suede ankle boots – mongkok ladies market

blue green pashmina scarf – hk street vendor

no sense of relief

have you ever been so deep in work that you feel as if there’s no end? i’m sorry for ranting but i just got home and am feeling very very (one more) very exhausted. it’s not that i don’t like the job, it’s just that the work is piling on everyday. i’ve recently had no sense of relief or satisfaction at the end of the day as i’ve accomplished so little (or i feel as if it’s little).

what is my job anyway? to anyone not familiar with this business, i am one of the “night critters”…i work at a call center and have been for the past 4 years. people may ask if i’m not getting sick and tired of working nights — welp, people will be surprised at this but i actually like the schedule. it keeps me away from the traffic and the heat of the sun.i am actually sleepier when i work during the day (this is based on training schedules where it’s on regular working hours – am to pm). not to mention, the pay is much bigger with the night differential. i’m a supervisor and have been handling teams of 12 – 20 for almost 3 years. what i love about handling people? helping them become better people — not just at work but also how they view and take life. and seeing that light switch in their eyes when they realize they’ve done a good job and that they can actually do a good job. you see, most people who work in a call center as agents are what you call “meantime” people… 70-80% of the agents work there because they haven’t figured out or are in the process of getting what they want to do for the rest of their lives. so some don’t care much and some just come in for the sake of getting a job. i’m saddened by those people because they end up wasting their life away — afraid to take risks, some even afraid to have a goal and aim at career growth. i try as much as possible to help them realize their goals. and when they do, i feel like a million bucks.

don’t get me wrong. this is only my ‘day’ or shall we say ‘night’ job… my goal in life? to start a clothing line and eventually, be a beach bum. LOL. as of now, i’m working my ass off to save enough money for those.

just a quick post of my necklace collection. there’s a quick peak of my earrings but then that’s another story..haha!

white top – mom’s closet

black and white floral skirt – thrifted

black croc belt – props

black polka tights – macua street market

black peep-toe booties – celine

long watch necklace – hk gift shop

gun-metal cuffs – props

rings: orange howlite – dane’s give-away | white – props

ps. i changed my header…what do you think?

comfort from the smell of bound paper

i love reading books. i think i’ve talked about this in my past posts. it’s way better than watching tv. reading allows my brain to work and envelopes me into this world far from my own. it gives me a chance to live a life i have yet to live or will not get a chance to. as a kid, i collected paperbacks of the usual — sweet dreams, love stories, sweet valley high..etc. and in college, i lived off the books that my big sister has. it’s only recently (with the adjustment of my salary) that i have begun collecting books of my own. i love books with a twist. something of the unfamiliar. something with sarcasm or wit. but ironically, i hate books that includes horror or ones involving haunting ghosts. they give me too many nightmares!

here are the ones i own:

the wicked series: wicked, son of a witch and lion among men by gregory maguire

kafka on the shore by haruki murakami

time traveller’s wife and her fearful symmetry by audrey niffeneger

the lovely bones by alice sebold

the perks of being a wallflower by stephen chbosky

me talk pretty one day by david sedaris

the little prince by antoine de saint-exupery

and embarrassingly — the twiligh series by stephenie meyer

and if books are not expensive (here in the PI they cost always above P300 which can already buy a person a decent meal), i would be glad to buy them every 2 weeks and just immerse myself in them — couped in my bed, surviving only with dark chocolate and water. but then, real life beckons and most things are easier said than done.

black top – thrifted from our manager’s garage sale | skinny jeans – chillypapa

headband with felt flower – props | beige patent pumps – shooz

rings: animal print and amber – props | grey leather bag – mongkok ladies market, hk

now, there’s something that have been put off for a while. i got an award from betz of her armoire and now i’m passing this to these ten amazing bloggers:

diana dye of color dye mode
sonya of so real
lexy of quirky explosion
tuesdai noelle of a reflection by tuesdai
rebecca of the clothes horse
issa of we wear things
jess of wild tortoise
louise of the f word online
diya of in her stilletos
tieka of selective potential

wishing everyone a great weekend! (sunday for the PI readers)

viva pit senyor!

it’s the 30th sinulog in cebu! to know more about this festival — click here!

it’s grander than new year’s here in our place and i swear, every year more and more people flock to cebu! it’s not a mob but a tidal wave of people and all you can do is let the waves take you… even the rain this year couldn’t stop the people from partying…

the family and i had our annual lunch at my tita’s (aunt’s) house in talamban and the above photos were taken on their steps. i couldn’t eat much because i was sick the whole night and had painful stomach spasms — almost had myself hospitalized if it weren’t for the thoughts of sinulog motivating me to get through it. i mean, i don’t want to miss the fun on the streets and stay couped up in a hospital room…after lunch, my friends and i hung out at a bar on the streets of mango, right near the actual sinulog parade… we did our own body painting (as seen below: my own painting of our group name right on my arm)… i took a few photos of the parade and the people (as much as i could manage since it’s very crowded)… then we walked to ayala cebu to have a picnic on the terraces grounds and watch the fireworks…i’m very proud to say that i got through this year’s festival SOBER…haha!

printed top – roxy

boho skirt – thrifted

flip-flips – havaianas (make your own)

black studded boots – mongkok ladies market

black bag – lil’ sister’s

dog tag necklace – custom made

reindeer in gun metal (necklace) – bubble bee gift shop

rings – props

gun metal cuff – props

pink sunnies – thrifted

happier = less words

i’ve been thinking about what to write here. and i almost thought i’ve gone totally illiterate that i can’t write as much as i did before. i used to fill journals of my feelings or thoughts and when i read them all again, i couldn’t identify with what i wrote anymore. in it was a girl with so much insecurity, self-doubt and desperation. don’t get me wrong, i took risks (in both my personal life and career) and went on great adventures but i built a wall around myself. i showed people i was strong but deep inside, i was filled with fear. i don’t want this to sound like an attempt to write a script for a romantic movie but when i met harry, i slowly dropped the wall and shed the bitterness away. i thought i have lived my life to the fullest by going on multiply road trips and partying every weekend but i found myself going home, my journal in front of me and still feeling empty. when yapi (me) met harry, my journal entries became scarce and my thoughts are now of the future and no longer of the past..and possibly my life with him. could it be that if we’re happier, words become scarce…? because as of now, i am happily speechless…

floral printed bubble top – maek fashion

black leggings – bought from mom’s friend

black peep-toe booties – a gift from harry

grey bag – mongkok ladies market

chained watch with rose detail – elegant tang dynasty

angel wing and woven heart necklace – props + sm dept store

rings – props

sunnies – manalili

"kilig" factor

non-pinoy readers might wonder what the title is for…haha! “kilig” means the excitement of seeing someone you’re crushing on or you love…it’s sheer cheesiness…like that high school feeling! why might i feel “kilig?” well, since i got home from new year’s, i’ve been couped up in bed only going out of my room to get food and water…i’ve been watchign dvd’s of 80’s films…and i fell in love with “16 candles” and “say anything”…so cheesy yet i did feel those exact feelings back in high school! haha! life is so simple back then… all i worried about was getting my homework done, whether my crush likes me back..and what i’m wearing to the mall on saturday…wish i could go back. but then if i do, i wouldn’t be able to afford fabulous shoes. such a dilemma!

i’m also super amazed at the number of comments i received for my previous post…such an honor! thanks to all of you for visiting my blog…it really means a lot to me, reading all your comments… my 2010 is just starting and i have a feeling it will be awesome!

blue floral tube dress – a gift from goring

white knitted cardigan – thrifted

bronze flats – unlisted

tan bag – thrifted from baguio

blue metallic belt – props

oval locket – a gift from karen

long necklace with patterns – a gift from ivy

rings: blue – props | sterling silver howlite – dane’s giveaway

zipper statement

i always have hard time dressing up for work on mondays — we have to wear something formal for business. good thing i saw this old skirt of my sister hanging in her closet. that’s the best thing about having 2 sisters — i can go through all of their closets..even my mom’s too! i can’t find any good high-waisted pencil skirts at the malls and have been planning to have one made instead. a good seamstress asks only P300 – P350 for labor anyway. but maybe i’ll find something when my mom and i go thrifting this thursday…CAN’T WAIT!

floral top – thrifted

pencil skirt with zipper detail – sis’ closet

suede booties – a gift from harry

metallic blue belt – props

grey tights – sm dept store

red bag – mongkok ladies market

rings – props

blue headband – sm dept store

glasses – thrifted

a little bit behind on the trend

alright, so i’m a little bit behind the trend of the “boyfriend jeans” but what the heck, most people at work hasn’t even heard it anyway. i always wanted to try this style out but i didn’t want to spend any money on a new pair of jeans. good thing i found my mom’s levis and it actually is big enough to be sort of slouchy. i have to say, wearing this is really comfortable. however, it does make me look shorter than i am. i am only 5’2″ after all. doesn’t matter — i’m wearing my favorite towering cut-out heels.

a gift from harry for my 25th birthday!

so here’s a close-up look on all the accessories i wore today. the embroidery on the peasant top i’m wearing is accessory enough. but i just love to pile them on! especially bangles. people ask me why i wear so much — i say, “welp, i woke up and decided to wear all of them!” haha! i wish i can show you the back of my top. it has more embroidery than the front. the cross necklace i’m wearing is hand-made by my sister who has her own store — called “props.” if you notice, that’s where some of my clothes and accessories come from. i’m deep in debt with her but it’s a good thing we’re sisters. *smirk*

green embroidered peasant top – thrifted

boyfriend jeans – my mom’s levis

cut-out heels – le donne (a gift!)

brown leather boho bag – thrifted

cross necklace – hand-made

long chained watch – elegant tang dynasty, hk

bronze bangle – props

green wooden bangle – props

beaded gold bangles – a gift from my aunt

glasses – thrifted