A Pretty Mug!

This was supposed to be one of my Christmas gift to myself but I guess, it or I can't wait 'till Christmas! So, I bought it today! I love things with kitschy designs so, I fell in love with this mug when I saw it. Isn't it lovely? :)

Just some of my other kitschy design things.
Hankies...

Umbrella..

Dessert plate...

Mini-framed Postage Stamp

Last month, I received some used postage stamps from a couple of Swap-bot members who granted my wish for stamps. As I was sorting them out, this particular stamp caught my attention. It was a vintage stamp (1960) and it has an inspiring saying (a creed, I think) on it.


"Fear to do ill and you need fear nought else!" by Benjamin Franklin

I love crafting with used postage stamps! I am planning to make a collage of my favorite stamps and frame them. Looking for frames in thrift stores has also been my interest lately. Even slightly damaged frames or those without glasses in bargain bins. Who knows, I can use them in some future projects. :) Anyway, I got this mini frame (2" by 3.5") for quite some time now. I just thought of putting the stamp on it and see how it would look. And well, it looked great!

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Bohemian Inspired!

Recently, I find myself busy surfing the net about things in Bohemian style and I am really liking it! Fashion wise, right now, I am only into wearing bracelets the boho way... the multiple mix bracelets. I am also changing the theme of our house decors into bohemian style! Last week, I looked for bright and colorful throw pillow covers in a thrift store. After washing them, I changed our curtains and throw covers. I have a mix orange colors curtain which I use during fall/halloween. The throws are now in Fuchsias, Orange, Lime and Aquas. It was a big change in colors. Before we were having Browns and creams.

Anyway, I also searched for craft ideas and so far, I have created two projects already.

Yesterday, I made my first ever dreamcatcher!

I also updated the look of our key holder rack.

Now

Then

I am now busy making paper beads to make a beaded curtain for our porch and I am planning a project which I will be needing a lot of assorted sizes and colors of glass beads. I'm excited to start on that! :)

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Dipping Sauce Bowls

About a couple of weeks ago, I received a beautiful glass bowl from a RAK (Random Act of Kindness) draw in Swap-bot which I luckily won! It was from Stephanie (Smadronia's Adventure). At the start of the draw, she said to write two of our favorite colors. So, the glass bowl is really very personal. It was made for me! Below is the picture. Isn't it pretty!

Anyway, having this bowl made me realized that I actually have a few assorted dipping sauce bowls. When I saw them grouped together, they look like I am collecting them! I bought them all from different thrift stores at different times and they are all really cheap. 10-15 Philippine peso.

Just A Glimpse On My Crafting Essentials

After sealing the envelopes that I am going to mail for my swap partners, I just had an urge to snap some pictures of my crafting essentials. With these little things, preparing my swap items and envelopes make it very enjoyable. I even feel sad when a decotape I am using was all used up.

Anyway, I have two notebooks. The one on the left is where I write the details of my swaps. The one on the right is my "anything under the sun" notebook. Good thing my three favorite pens fit in the pen holder of my notebook organizer!

My other writing materials. My Red pencil case was a Christmas gift from my cousin about 15 years ago! It holds my ruler, Black gel pen, Purple ink gel pen, Black sharpie, my Bic mechanical pencil, correction pen, eraser and stencils.

The cutting edge! My letter opener, scissor for the tapes/adhesives (the Gray one), scissor for papers (the color Pink/Yellow) and my cutter.

My adhesives! Decotapes, packaging tape for protecting the insides of my homemade envelopes and my ever favorite, the double sided tapes!

My current decotape designs!

Post Office Harvest: Happy Mail!

Last week, my mailbox was really empty although I was expecting some mails to arrive that week. Monday came and went with still no mails. :( Yesterday, I went to the post office to post some mails and the postman said I have so many letters and that he is going to deliver them to me later. Of course, a big smile went across my face! :) So, I guess, today or this week is happy mail!

Yay! Happy Mail!

The contents! Love, love, love!!!

DIY Nail Art!

Four Sundays ago, I gave my nails a "nail art" treat. I don't go to salons for manicure or pedicure, so I have to "DIY" my nail art. So far, the easiest design that I can think of and believe I can do was polka dots.

Feeling young on my 4oth, I bought a Lavender color (First Crush by Caronia) polish. I have Pink polish already and I planned to combine the two colors.



Second time was the Red one with the White Tulip-like design. I really don't know what to call it (lol).

My third design was inspired by Candy Crush. I saw it as one of the backgrounds in the game. So I bought a metallic Pink and metallic Blue polish. I first applied the Pink ones and while waiting for it to dry, I realized that the Pink on Black looks really cute... sweet Pink on a witchy Black nails. So, I am calling it Sweet 'n Witchy! I will have that design next week though, since my toenails are done with the Candy Crush design already.

I just love this article, 5 Nail Polish Colors Every Girl Should Own!

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Got it! Purple Whistling Kettle!

My 10th wedding anniversary gift to our kitchen, my coveted Purple whistling kettle! Love it! :)

Homemade Cacao Balls!

I harvested some cacao pods from the one cacao tree in our backyard. I love drinking hot choco, especially if it is "tablea" (how we call cacao balls in the Philippines). So, I searched the internet for the process of making it. It was a lot of work and a lot of waiting but well, it is all worth the wait!

The Cacao Pods. Took out the seeds and fermented it for 10 days. Then sun dried them for 3 days.

Roasted nibs. Ready to grind.

Grinded and made into balls!

End product of my first ever homemade cacao balls! "Mayo man ah"! (Good enough! - Ilonggo dialect in the Philippines)

I enjoyed 2 cups already! Tasted like dark chocolate because I only put 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. I can say it was a success and I'm happy!

Another Booksale Find

I only planned to go to the bookstore today to finally buy the organizer box that I have been eyeing and I kind of conditioned myself to just stick with the plan. As I entered the store, I was surprised to see two tables full of new stocks of books on sale. It's been a while since they have new stocks so, I browsed the books first. Such a great temptation to my "remember to save" motto for the day! But I saw these and they are so cheap and I just can't resist them!

Homemade Crushed Pepper Flakes

Everytime I am in the herbs and spices section at the grocery store, I always wanted to buy pepper flakes. However, it seems a little bit pricey, as most of the dried herbs and spices here in our country. I am trying to cut my grocery shopping and I thought of making my own pepper flakes since I just throw away the seeds from the peppers I use. So, I searched the net for ideas on how to make them and for my first try, I decided to use two whole peppers. I sun dried them and after two days, they were ready to be crushed and grinded. Good thing, hubby bought me a mini coffee bean grinder. It was the first time I used it too!

I am just so happy that my first homemade pepper flakes is successful and I was able to save money! I'm pretty sure I would be making it again in the future.

Too bad I always forget to take the before and after pictures of the things I make. But here is the final product.

Thrift Store Shopping!

There was an art frame that I have been eyeing in a thrift store that I always pass by whenever I go to the city. But finances has been really hard after my surgery and I cannot afford to buy unessential things. So, to avoid the frame, I did not go into that store. But then, I still happened to pass by a new thrift store and well, the very curious me went inside. I have seen a lot of things I really wanted to buy but I was able to say NO to them (kinda proud of myself there!). However, these cute little dessert plates just seems so hard to resist! I could use them right?!... and they are really cheap... and if I did not get them, I might always think of them and regret not getting them. It always happen to me, I am not usually into impulse buying so when I see something that I like, I don't buy it right away. I go home and if I think of it and if I really want it, I will get it the next time I go to that store, but when I get there, the item is gone already. For only 74 pesos, I got these plates! I so love the Pink one! I always love things with kitschy images!

This is a Gisela Graham plate. Pretty isn't it?!


And this one is Baskin Robbins and it featured Snoopy! I also love the color!


Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter design!


This one I like for the Pepper prints and I need a serving plate in this shape and size. Why do I feel like I sound so defensive?! hahaha...




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Magnetized by Magnets!

It seems that I am being magnetized by magnets these past couple of months! How did it started?! My golly, right at this point, I can't seem to recall! I think it's true what they say, that a person gets to be forgetful after having a surgery with general anesthesia. Hmmmmm...still thinking...wait...think...focus...recall...

Yes! Finally, I recalled! I read somebody's profile in Swap-bot and she is offering privates swaps for wooden clog magnets from Holland. In exchange, she would like a touristy magnet that look or is shaped like postage stamp. I happened to have one and the wooden clog magnet sounds very interesting.


Around the same time, another Swap-bot swapper from Lithuania messaged me and expressed an interest to swap touristy magnets. She is a collector and she wanted one from the Philippines. So, I said why not. It would be nice to add new magnets in our fridge. Anyway, I like them too!

Wow, who wouldn't fall in love with these magnets I got from Lithuania? I wasn't able to take a picture of the magnet I sent but it was a typical Philippine Jeepney (Jeep) in 3D form.


A while back (even before I saw that post from Holland), somebody from Portugal has also proposed an interest for a private swap. I haven't confirmed the swap because at that time, I just got out from the hospital for my gallbladder surgery and that time, I still cannot decide what I want for the swap. But after my new sudden interest with magnets, we agreed to have the swap. She sent me a typical touristy souvenir from Portugal which is the Galo de Barcelo, of course in magnet form. Oh, and she sent me a lot of other items too! Actually, a lot lot more! She is such a very generous lady! For my part, I sent her decotapes and flavored teas.


And then the search goes on. I really love magnets with kitchen/food themes. I particularly requested for these magnets and I'm so happy to have them! The olive oil jar is from Greece and the one that looks like pancakes in a frying pan is from Belarus. It is a typical pancake from Belarus and it's made of potatoes. The words said "Bon Apetite" in Belarus.


A lot more has arrived after then. It seems like it was raining magnets in my mailbox the last couple of months!


This is the first magnet I bought because I really like it. It's my favorite!


I also bought this magnets, but I don't put them in the fridge. I use them in my desk since they have an office/school theme.


I am glad they are growing! I hope you enjoyed reading and looking at my magnets. :)