man behind my camera – Girl Gone Cuckoo

bohemian love

almost five years ago, i put on a blind-fold and took hold of his hand, not knowing where to go, not knowing where we’ll end up. here we are and our hands are still tightly entwined.

styling and production design – cuckoo cloud concepts
photography – marlon capuyan
hmua – erika diaz

cheers to 2012!

Good morning 2012!

the Sembrano tres marias — meeting 2012’s first sunrise! (forgive my sister Aimee, she doesn’t realize Cebu pavements are not as clean as Aussie’s..LOL!)

Mr. and Mrs. B’s first new year as a married couple! ♥ ♥ ♥

Harry, me and my kulit sister, Aimee!

Sam, Kate, Armand, Aimee, Me and Harry

i miss Armand!

family’s night out? LOL.
Mr. and Mrs. B ~ Harry & Gizelle + Aimee + Mr. and Mrs. Tan ~ Warren & Charm

with the super hilarious Mary Ty, one of the amazing designers of MEGA YDC. our jaws hurt from laughing!

now, on to the outfit…

polka tent blouse – primal rave | bandage skirt – primal rave | black strappy heels – people are people
brass cuff – shopyapi.com | feather necklace & brass layered necklace – downtown finds | rings – downtown finds

Aimee’s outfit: pink bandage dress with sleeve cutouts – primal rave | chain bag – vintage
leopard heels – people are people | necklace and bangles – downtown finds

can you guess what those things are beside the lion?

the polka dressing tradition continues! this is my 4th new year wearing polka — they say it’s good luck and brings in more money for the year! here’s to not just more money but more love, guidance from God, opportunities to seize and risks to take…

2011 was definitely a roller coaster ride for me. half the year were mornings where i didn’t know whether i wanted to wake up or just sleep through the day but i was blessed enough to realize life is too short and took mine back. 2011 blessed me with a job that i loved [all this time], a promotion, a fiance, a family reunion and fiinally, a husband.

to 2012, may you bring as many opportunities and adventures as you’ve given in 2011 — only less confusion, heartache and drama. ♥ ♥ ♥

photo possibilities + body clock change

i meant to do a post last night but i had to watch and take care of Harry at the hospital — he got admitted for a bacterial infection and has had a fever on and off. he’s doing a bit well now, if you should ask. he still has a slight fever but he’s no longer having chills.

the photos here were taken at one part of the office area. the place is teeming with possibilities and i can’t wait to shoot in all areas possible. the office is located in an advent center which looks like a really big house and our room is on the first door. aside from the interesting areas to shoot outside, the building has a terrace with talisay trees in the background and white wooden panels on the walls. on the way up to the second floor is a wooden staircase, some antique stuff like old radios, typewriter and antique sofas. the the center is on a compound which also has an italian restaurant — haven’t eaten there thought as they say it’s quite expensive. good thing the aroma of the italian food doesn’t reach the office because one thing i have discovered on a ‘day’ job is that it definitely has heightened up my appetite. if you’ve notice, i’ve gained weight in these photos.

i think i’ve gained about 5 lbs. i just can’t stop eating! i think i get hungry every 3-4 hours which is not good for me because i easily gain weight. although i am not on a strict diet as i eat whatever i want like sinful desserts and all the meat i can eat, i try though to choose food items that are healthier like brown rice, whole wheat bread, lean meat or char-grilled all-meat burgers instead of the ones found in fast food chains with meat extenders in the form of eggplants that easily absorb oil. shifting to a day job has certainly shifted my hormones and body clock too and so far, i am still adjusting. hope this adjustment transitions faster because i might no longer fit into my clothes! (or the denim levi’s high-waist cut-offs i thrifted last month which i have yet to wear! buhu…)

okay, so the following photos below are a result of a gay friend who has worked for Drawingboard for more than a year but was only encouraged to be gayer because i started working their too. we decided to wear heels this day and maybe on all other days in the office. you might find his face to be familiar to you — meet Armand Alforque in black booties:

striped oversized cardigan – thrifted

white tank top – thrifted

grey skinny jeans – thrifted

black peep-toe booties – celine (gifted from harry)

pink suede belt – big sister’s closet

robot necklace – downtown find

rings: black rectangle stone + white round stone – props

work watch – swatch

summer of one-oh! ocean series: waking up to waves

oh how i wanted to have a fourth post so i could put up the fun photos my cousins and i took. but i promised you guys i would only do this in three posts…besides, i think i need to get back to my life in the city. getting too caught up in my daydreaming is not good for me.

i woke up to the sound of birds and the waves. the tide was coming in and all of us couldn’t wait for it go high by around 9:00 AM. harry and i took a little walk, checking out weird sea creatures (there were bubble or balloon-like stuff on the sand…it was jelly and when you picked it up, it would break and spew out water). right after breakfast, my cousins, together with my sisters and i, took some photos by the water and again, by the house. the goofy photo was just us and the self-timer in my camera. we had a blast just dancing and jumping around.

and look what my mom asked my dad to do! she had a tent brought to the beach so she could bathe without getting directly hit by the sun! LOL. crazy mom…i think you can see one of the locales scratching his head thinking, “wtf?” haha!

outfit details:

just woke up: graphic tee – maek | polka shorts – props |

at the beach: green floral dress – maek | pink bikini top – justyne |

going home: blue printed dress – thrifted

accessories: yellow floral scarf – thrifted | bangles – props | sunnies – thrifted at carbon

| bangles – props | sunnies – thrifted at carbon | dog-tag necklace – custom made

at the end of the day

….it is healthy to just laugh it off. the last few weeks have been really stressful for me. the culture of my previous company was so warm and filled with guidance and now, i’m the one left in charge of a group with different personalities and managers with very fast-paced lives. maybe it’s because i started out building my leadership skills in my previous company so i was dependent at that time. now, there are decisions that i have to make that i never thought i would have to before. phew! my back is literally aching.

one good news though… i have finally managed to ask to take this monday off — just so i can breathe a little and unwind. most probably get a massage. and just watch dvds. in short, pig out. haha!

wondering why i’m laughing so much in my photos? that’s harry asking me to do his dance.LOL.

i’d like to thank karla bautista, by the way, for getting me these shoes. have been coveting F21 shoes for a long time now. anyone want to send me F21 shoes with free shipping?haha! i’d pay for the shoes.

grey graphic tee – maek by karla | grey pin-striped vest – thrifted

denim jeans – chillypapas | grey platform heels – forever 21 | black twined star necklace – props

blue spade ring – props | circular cuffs – props | pink sunnies – thrifted at manalili

and speaking of PROPS…

there are awesome ring candies on my shop that are for sale from PROPS.

check it out!

opposites attract

this photo was taken last week when i was waiting for the emission testing and annual registration of my car. i wasn’t in the mood to dress up for work so i basically jumped out of bed, took a quick shower, hid my hair in a headband, wore my favorite shirt and black leggings. i think my blue bag saved the outfit (it’s a christmas gift from harry in 2009 — which i pre-chose by the way as he is so clueless about shopping! LOL)

before harry, i’ve been single for 5 years — dating but no commitments. i’ve had my heart broken a couple of times because a guy couldn’t commit to me — intimidated by me, the way i think and my strong personality. i tend to be irrational, sarcastic, be tomboy, a perfectionist, spontanoues, moody, aggressive, and…smarter?haha! let’s just say i laughed at picked up lines to guys’ faces sometimes intentionally. and welp, i don’t dress as simple as other typical girls too. i got frustrated with going home alone everyday that i asked our manager who was a good friend if there is something wrong with me. he told me, “well, maybe you need someone stronger than you. who can control you.”

oh, he was so wrong! i didn’t need someone who can control me, i needed someone who would complement me. i got the guy of my dreams and more. harry and i are total opposites in pretty weird (and funny) ways.

i drive = he cooks the dinner.

i love sports and was an athlete = he was an orator and a student body president.

i love technology = he loves history.

i love punk rock, brit rock, indie and new wave music = he loves oldies and standards.

i am health conscious = he doesn’t even love wheat bread (LOL)

i love change and spontaneity = he likes to be safely where he is now

i love the beach = he loves the mountains

i tend to freak out easily = he stays calm

i like dogs = he likes cats

but you see, even with our opposite loves and personalities, we mesh well because we respect and support each other. and i have never been happier.

grey tee – thrifted

black leggings – ???

denim jacket – lil sister’s

zebra-print headband – props

grey suede flats with metallic detail – so fab (a gift from big sis!)

blue faux leather bag – maldita (a gift from harry!)

necklaces: dog tag – custom-made | gun-metal reindeer – gift shop

sunnies – thrifted at carbon

of alarm texts and music

“you mean the world to me.”

waking up to this sure makes my day better. harry surprised me with an alarm text message on my phone. so i get to wake up everyday with that text. i’ve been feeling low over the last couple of days and felt slightly disconnected from the world. aside from all of your encouragements and sympathies, i’m so thankful that harry is here to bear with me despite my weirdness, sadness and grouchiness — man, i can snap like that and he’d just swallow hard and take it all in. it’s only to you hon that i’d say sorry for being a bitch. *sincere apologies*

music is a big part of my life. and especially on days when i cannot begin to grasp what i’m feeling, i immerse myself in music. for days like these, i am thankful for:

frou frou

imogen heap

regina spektor

the national

the honorary title

john mayer

up dharma down

your music has kept my life in balance.

i’m in love…and always will be.

the four mini-cakes that made me smile. and made me forget all my worries and frustrations. one or two is nice but four? i love it! and i couldn’t ask for more. we had lunch at our fave vietnamese restaurant, lemon grass and ordered all the food we could stuff our faces with — spicy and sour seafood soup, grilled spare ribs and pad thai noodles. it’s so funny because harry ordered two bottles of light beer and got tipsy right after! he was wobbling a bit in broad daylight!

i’d like to thank everyone for the sweet advice and comments on my previous post. after letting it all out, i rationalized the situation and decided to take the high road. i am their team leader and i realized that i have yet again expected too much maturity from my team. they need guidance. they need to be seen on the same level. i have decided to not ignore them but to help them. so last night, after hearing them rant (again!), i took a deep breathe, sat beside them and looked them in eye, asking what exactly happened. i wrote a serious e-mail, asking for help from the managers and will be taking it from there.

*crossing my fingers and still wishing they won’t rant so much*

received an adequate amount of tax refund for the year 2009 and had to splurge on shoes. new to my lovies — zebra printed bow flats, tan flats and ‘matthews’ peep toe heels.

striped shirt – thrifted

blue cropped jacket – thrifted

black leggings – ???

grey flats with zebra printed bow – sm dept store

black bag – lil’ sister’s

black belt with animal printed buckle – big sister’s (haha!)

sunnies – thrifted at carbon

rings – props

ps. check out eden of chic in the tropics‘ give-away for those readers in PI!

complaining about all the complaining

mustard button-up dress – thrifted | grey tights – sm dept store | black peep-toe booties – celine

owl watch necklace – thrifted at manalili | bangles – props + gifts | black bag – lil’ sister’s

sunnies – thrifted at carbon

i really hate ruining this day as harry and i turned 24 months today but all the negativity at work has really gotten to me and has somehow brought me down. all because they were all expecting to get something which is not necessarily something owed to them by the company. what i hate is all the complaining. as if they’re just waiting for the answer to fall from heaven — or in this case, the ceiling since we are confined in the office. nobody has approached me about it and even asked for help. it’s as if it’s their fight and complaining and being negative is their way of solving it. negativity really brings me down. it tugs on me like an anchor and honestly, it gives me back pains (from all the stress of being bothered by it)… i mean, not getting involved personally at work is easy to say but i can’t help it — especially when i can hear them ranting all the time. threatening resignation? what the….

there…i’ve let it all out. one thing i learned from my college best friend is patience. and to not complain but proactively step-up and allow things to happen and evolve. to be positive. and think that everything happens for a reason. i wish people can learn to be positive. see, for once, the bigger picture. be damn thankful.

and learn to let go.

to my honeybee, i’m sorry for rambling.

happy anniversary!

the past two years have been a blessing.

don’t disturb the neighbor

presenting…harry. the man behind the camera. i have other shots of him but they were too goofy!

so the gate is not even ours. it’s our neighbor’s. i’ve always found the color interesting and it has always been my favorite shade of blue. he was trying to tell me to look candid and just move around but i was too conscious, thinking of the neighbors..haha!

this has been a hard week at work. i swear, i’ll soon get a heart attack because i keep breathing in my frustration and anger. i’m a very loud person and i sometimes can’t notice my volume. but due to constant feedback, i am trying my best to hold it all in. so these days, i’ve been keeping my voice soft. and trying to calmly tell someone that they messed up and should start pulling their act together. i’d take a deep breath and slowly answer a very annoying question. i think my sarcasm still shows with my eyebrows though. they are very expressive. my closest friends once laughed at the thought of imagining me as a team lead and how i’d roll my eyes. i tend to do so when i’m annoyed…LOL.

i’m really looking forward to just unwinding this weekend. will be reading ‘lion among men’– the 3rd book by gregory mcguire, listening to ‘the honorary title’, ‘the nationals’ and ‘regina spektor’ over and over again. and will definitely get some more zzzzz’s….

lace top – thrifted | skinny jeans – chillypapa | brown suede shoes with rhinestone details – celine |

vintage car necklace – thrifted at manalili | rings – props

and before i forget, nina of ballerina’s closet obsession gave me this award — happy 101. i am supposed to list down ten things that make me happy and forward this award to 10 stylistas. so what makes me smile?

my family. my mom. dad. my best friends — sisters: aimee and charm.
h-a-r-r-y. and his goofy antics.
thrifting. and the thought of finding unique and incomparable clothes!
that song that is forever linked to a memory — ie. ‘folding chair’ by regina spektor will always remind me of that double decker bus trip from ocean park to the train station.
vanilla ice cream. it’s my college drug. sometimes my friend and i would cut class just to eat vanilla ice cream at mcdonald’s. stupid but really made a difference then.
flag football…or the memories i’ve had of it.
the beach — the sand on my toes. the smell of coppertone.the salt on my hair.
new comments from my new friends in this blog. reading all your comments really makes my day!
our dogs — snickers the dachsund puppy, cooper the golden retriever and chloe the jack russell terrier.
pizza. any kind. any restaurant. even mom’s pizza…haha!

so i give this award to: toni of perfumed red shoes, my good friend deanne of one step at a time, kate maggie of postcards from..., jen of jennifhsieh, eden of chic in the tropics, leah of leah taas in focus, megara of fresh brownies, katrina of pugly pixel, julia of the song of the exile and eunice of hey fancy pants.