Tutus and Tiaras on My Little Dalagitas

All of a sudden, I have little dalagitas on my hands who have their own disposition in life. How is it possible that this soon, I already have these thinking beings that babble away question after question about everything they see and feel. Picking up new tricks and antics daily that I cannot seem to keep up with. 

Plain white tees from H&M, neon yellow tulle skirt from SM Kids, Pink Crowns and Hello Kitty Purse from H&M (gifts) and whites sandals from payless.

I think we can never stop being bewildered as mothers on this issue of time. How our days can sometimes be filled with waiting, looking at the clock, feeling as if our lives are at a stand still. Where days and nights bleed in and out onto the next with only diapers and feedings in between. Moments filled with non-stop picking up the pieces. Then there will be days when the air will be knocked out of us because it seems time is just fleeting. We cannot hold on to moments long enough. Suddenly, they started taking their first steps, uttering their first words, naming their colors and memorizing their alphabet. Suddenly they are talking to you in coherent sentences, imposing their needs and wants and having their own opinions. 

Don't we all wish we know how to reconcile the two? Time spent taking care of ourselves vs. time spent taking care of them. Time spent away fulfilling our dreams vs. time spent making new dreams together. Time with/for ourselves vs. time spent with our children and family. A perfect balancing act. It is ever possible? 

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much love

Oh 2015

I was excited to welcome 2015 with open arms after a rough 2014, filled with internal struggles and doubt. However looking through my Instagram it felt otherwise. My journey through 2014 brought about a new me that I cannot wait to carry over through this new year. 

The beautiful mess of random yet great things that my children has brought about. Either through their hands or through mine, for them. 

The necessity of making things beautiful without costing you a lot has challenged me but also surprised me as our ingenuity (mine and my husband's) show forth. 

Making my house a home and all the more lovelier come the holidays has become such a deep rooted need. Gone are the days of just not minding anything household related. 

I have learned to appreciate and be grateful of the small things. I have seen the beauty in the ordinary and also made ordinary things beautiful. As often times I have stumbled, I have come out a better person. I adore this person actually and have come to repeatedly be struck of how different this person has become. I still have a few kinks to work out though. It never ends, this self-reinvention and improvement, but please 2015, be kinder and gentler to us this time. 

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much love

Color in the Black and White

Floral ball skirt from my store, Fanciful (3rd Level, Shoppesville, Greenhills)

Oh how times have changed! This is clearly the most daring I have been lately. Yes, a simple print on print outfit made me feel oh so bold!  Gone are the days when I wear something simply because it is different and outrageous. I have tapered my style to a more mature look and have streamlined it to pieces that I truly love.  I have been more reasonable with my purchases too. I used to shop, shop, shop buying everything that I deemed to stand out. Often times items were bought for the sake of an outfit shot. Remembering the hey day of my chictopia account and how each day or night out is made into a pictorial to my hubby's (then boyfriend) dismay. Sometimes I miss my outrageous self but I clearly, do not have the time, effort and money it entailed. HAHA I applaud those who do though! 

However, I am pretty proud of how I have become. Having our resources go mostly to our children and our home has made me more practical. It has taught me the value of every single thing and yet it has also challenged me further. I no longer get to be fashionable because I can buy every new thing. I have to keenly assess each purchase and create looks mixing the old with the new and getting truly creative.  Clearly, its more fun this way ;)

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much love

Of Fairytales and Daydreams

For last year's halloween, I got overly excited and somewhat found myself designing and creating my girls' and niece's costume. I thought everything was so simple.  I have an idea in my head already and I know what I wanted it to look like. My sister and I have decided on a swan lake inspired look for the girls. I knew I just needed onesies/leotards and then I can just simply build on it. I was listing my materials and thinking "hey I can easily do this". I purchased my feathers and appliqué. I have the sequins and rhinestones on hand which actually added to my confidence. In the end there were a few snags that I was able to solve but it brought in a few realizations. 

I have always tinkered with clothing. Ripped things apart and put things together. I do not know why in the world did I never learn to do this properly. Technical skills would have saved me time. Knowledge that the appliqué will not stick to the material of the leotard would have allowed me to change my game plan. Did I tell you I ended up stitching it in a few places and just using double sided tape? Utterly sad. I also tried my hand with the sewing machine and in a few moments I broke the needle. I always thought I do not need sewing and pattern making skills, I can always employ people who can. BUT I guess my girls are such game changers in my life. Creating things make me so happy. To move forward from headpieces and transition to outfits is so fulfilling. Maybe I would be happier if it were executed perfectly too. So this year, I am claiming it! I wanna learn how to sew and move past just the running stitch and making things up as I go along. Already getting excited at what my learned hands can create. =)

The finished product! The tutu was hand made by me too!

Our girls adoring each other's outfit HAHA

Fairytales are made of these lovely bunch!

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much love