{ SACRIFICE AND COMPROMISE }

I have been dying to go to the beach and spend a day or two on an island ever since that short but sweet road trip we had last February. In fact i have been buying (secretly....behind the husband's back tehehe) some cute summer dresses and high waist bikinis for that dream vacation. It's hard to get a leave off from work these days especially now that most of my leave balances have been consumed from me being sick most of the time during my first trimester. So the anticipation to finally get that 4-day holiday break is just so overwhelming that I'm going to be really disappointed if it wouldn't push through. 

But you know in life, or in marriage specifically, we don't always get what we want. The husband decided to just spend our holidays in his parent's house because a) Camotes meant a lot of motorbike-riding which my OB advised me to avoid b) he hasn't been home for almost three months. I wanted to argue and prove my case but this time he has a point so I obliged. I am not good at compromising I tell you because I have a way of turning things around to my advantage but for the benefit of our baby I will just have to say goodbye to that trip for now. But the bargaining did not end there coz I managed to    coerce him to take me to lunch somewhere near the beach. hahaha

wearing:

Sheer black dress - thrifted 

Denim shorts (underneath) - Levi's cutoffs

Brown belt - 138 Tiangge

Sandals - bought from officemate 

Round sunglasses - GCM 

Necklace - gift from our client :)

Bag - Tory Burch

{ SUMMER SOLSTICE }

These photos were taken last February, not the official start of summer yet, but the heat and the blue skies signaled that my favorite time of the year has come earlier. 

We were scouting for locations in Cebu South for an editorial shoot we will be doing this month for a top wedding blog. Will post photos of the official shoot once the feature is up on their website. It will showcase collaborative work of my husband photographer, Marlon Capuyan, stylist Cuckoo Cloud Concepts ( headed by Ms. Vanilla Ice Cream herself, Gizelle), and some of the best talents from the Cebu wedding scene. So please do watch out for that. :)

I know I'm not big on blogging about my personal life although sometimes I tackle about personal stuff but only on the surface. Not really the type that digs deep on the matter. I only write longer entires when I'm frustrated or angry about something but you may have noticed they do not see the light of internet day because I delete them once I'm done writing them. 

But this, I am comfortable to share. It would be a shame if I didn't. Because sooner or later, you will  see more of me in a much fuller figure. Yes, I am currently expecting our first baby. And you bet I am gonna rock this moment in my life every single day that I can. So expect pregnancy posts (still fashion posts, of course) on the days to come. I hope I will not bore you. haha 

P.S. I am eight weeks along in the photos. :)

wearing:

Floral top - thrifted 

Denim shorts - Levi's cut-offs

White paisley over-up - thrifted 

Camel bag - thrifted 

Hat - SM 

Accessories - various downtown finds

Chevron-print highwaist swimsuit 

- from Toni Pino-Oca of Perfumed Red Shoes 

{ TAKE ME TO THE BEACH }

Blogging might have been overshadowed with much more important things last year but that didn't mean i totally lost my love for it. My last entry was in October before I got married (yes, I got married last November, more of that in another entry) and after that my schedule just went haywire. There were just lots of things to do I didn't even know where to begin. This is my first time to live independently away from home. The household chores is really what's killing me right now. Everything's happening so incredibly fast I badly need a day-off to absorb as in really ABSORB these changes. 

The Sinulog festival is this weekend but i'm in no mood to celebrate in the streets. Would really love to go to the beach and stare at the horizon for an hour and just lay there all day with a good book in hand. I would really love to do that. 

Photos taken last October 2012.

Kookoo's Nest, Antulang, Negros Oriental. 

wearing:

Anne Klein swimsuit, Levi's  denim cut-offs, SM floppy hat

{ EARLY MORNING }

After two weeks  being devoid of a camera, finally gotten around to buying a new one. I woke up the next day itching to test drive the new purchase. So I snapped every random thing I chanced upon in the house and that includes: 

 - some two of the many stray cats that have boarded our house since God knows when. My mom is anything but irate coz we have zero r-a-t in the house. 

 - my Mom's mini garden. She is passionate about her orchids and like most Moms believe that placing eggshells on orchids help them bloom more flowers. haha

 - my dog, Kaboom, who kept wagging his tail and couldn't keep still while I struggled with the camera's manual focus. But still, I love him, even if he gave me a hard time. 

 - sun flares! Dreamy, dreamy sun flares. Need I say more.

 - And lastly, my personal photographer, my dearest Mom who just woke up and still groggy. She asked me what happened to the old cam she used to shoot me with. Told her I sold it and got a new one.She frowned because she's learned to master my previous camera's buttons and settings and she is not so keen on starting from scratch again. So it dawned on me how am I gonna teach her a camera with a manual focus lens (yes, no autofocus). That would be too hard. hahaha But she is a fast learner so I know she will get accustomed to it in time. I love my Mom :)

{ BUSY DAYS }

One of the things I got busy on doing while I was on blog offduty: photoshoots! This one particularly I served as a stand-in during settings adjustment, in other words EXTRA. haha

On other occasions, I was working my ass off chasing brides and sitting and lying on the grass just to get that good shot. So for that, no towering heels. Just the most basic and comfortable outfit and fuss-free face. Bordering haggard actually, especially after a long day under the blazing heat. haha But all of that are nothing compared to the feeling of fulfillment when you've reviewed the photos and they turned out just like what you have imagined them to be.

Show us some lovin' and visit our blog here:

{ www.marloncapuyan.net } 

{ S E R E N E }

Finally, I have decided a theme for the upcoming important event in my life. Looking at these pictures taken some months back by the boyfriend, I want this celebration to be exactly like this; calm, laidback, intimate, bohemian, whimsical. Now how i wish the planning is also as serene and relaxed as I was in the photos. 

Oh well, wish me luck! :)


Photos: Marlon Capuyan (www.marloncapuyan.net)


{ Postprocessed by me using film simulation } 

{ I WANT BEACH & SUNSETS }

Critical analysis and decision-making can be draining. Sometimes I wish my work only entails the routinary typing and filing. When someone relies on you for decisions on things you yourself  is unsure of, now that can be tough. Because you don't want to be too careless on your advice or you will be blamed too in the process should it fail. So sometimes I wish I could just sit there stamp papers and probably daydream of beach and sunsets all day while doing stuff that does not need any major brain activity. But then that would be so boring right? But it does not hurt if i can have that peace once in a while. 

wearing:

Floral dress - Emall 

Stripe shirt - thrifted 

Sunglasses - APM mall

{ A BEAUTIFUL DAY }

Early in the morningIt’s the dawn of a new dayNew hopes new dreams new waysI open up my eyes andI open up my mind andI wonder how life will surprise me today.
- A Beautiful Day (India Arie)
Happy 30th to me! :)
My only wish and prayer is that I'd live to see my parents live a longer life. That's all. Thank you Lord for the wonderful 30 years. 
"There are no mistakes. Just chances we've taken." 
Photos: Dred Reveries { taken the past week :) }

{ LIFE CAPSULE }

- I'm drawn to anything green lately; mint satchel &sweater, oversized green python bag, and green accessories. They look refreshing and they suit my skin tone i guess. 

- Had an impromptu shoot with the boyfriend at some deserted part of family park. Believe me I didn't request it, he did.  It was a pressure to pose for someone who had set you a high standard prior to the shoot. He said no blogger pose.  So I had a hard time posing. haha

- Proud of myself that I made such a gorgeous floral headpiece for an engagement shoot we had  a while back. Had to recycle it and try it for myself. 

- Happened to see the cutest Volkswagen Combi on the street while hailing a cab. I want to hire it as a wedding car. I got hold of the plate number. But how to contact, that is the question. 

- Dead trees are appealing, yes? Especially against the blue summer sky. 

- This years summer is one of the hottest and the driest ever.  I sweat even if I just got out of the shower. 

- Boyfriend surprised me with Krispy Kreme donuts when we met up after work. A simple act of sweetness like this goes a long way. 

- Window shopping and just literally window-shopping.  I just stop and ogle at the beautiful clothes on display and don't dare go inside coz my self-control is not legendary. Mango displays are always tempting. Mango, you just have to wait till my self-imposed shopping ban ends.

- We've learned the art of compromise. Fair and square. One instance he had his way and we got KFC. The next day, I had quesadilla.

- If I want to go back to my 47.5kg self, then I have to stop eating pasta. Seriously.  

- So this is how it feels to be featured on the cover of a magazine. A fake magazine that is. A friend from work  made this and featured me wearing my Pocahontas costume last Christmas. As to why TWEET, make a guess. haha

{ WEEKLY THING }

It's no secret that apart from dressing up, photography is something I am really passionate about. I love to take photos and the vain in me also loves to be on the photos. I don't lug a heavy DSLR everyday so a cellphone will suffice for all my shutter cravings. And getting a phone that allows me to shoot even the most mundane of things has been one of the better decisions I made last month. 

So here's a round-up of what I did with the week that was. 

- The boyf switched to Canon 5D Mark II. But i will still be shooting with Nikon. 

- Planning to buy more colorful shoes. I seriously lack blue shoes to complete the primary colors. Oh wait, I have blue. No need to buy. {Boyfriend must be doing the happy dance now}

- I love quesadillas. I have to eat them at least once a week to keep me alive. 

- I have been praying a lot lately. For my dad's health. God knows I never prayed to become rich. My prayers are always centered on me and my loved ones' health and safety. And world peace. 

- Planning to do my first DIY necklace using those scrap black circular things. I am on a hunt for a cute wire to stitch them together. 

- First week of the lifting of uniform policy and i'm obviously elated. 

- Staying true to my resolution to update my blog as often as i can. 

- Boyfriend added another shirt to his growing rock-shirt collection. 

- Rekindled my love for red nails.

- Realized that my "pambahay" dress is  a perfect mix of paisley, electric pleats, and bohemian midi skirt. I have to stop wearing it as a pambahay and give it some outdoor love. 

Planning to make this a weekly thing. Thank you for reading all my blabberings. 

Happy Sunday! :)

Love the Now

I made the biggest decision last week. I can't say it's the best I have made so far but when I typed the word "resignation" in my letter, I sure felt an overwhelming happiness. Last time I was this happy was when the boyfriend proposed to me a year ago. I never thought I could do it because my work has been such a comfort zone for six long years. 

But when it's not such a "comfort" anymore, i don't think there's a reason to stay any longer.I don't know what will happen next. I'm actually tired of worrying about the unknown and the future. 

I just wanna seize the moment and LOVE the NOW. 

Happy Belated Independence Day!
 

The perfect pick-me-upper and feel good song. I love you Katy Perry. :)

 

Good Vibes Only, Please.

Some people just don't realize that it's never right to jump into conclusions right away. When I am angry, yes I am irritable. But never did I result to disrespecting authority by being "violent" or making it known by smashing something on purpose. My parents did not raise me that way. And i think it's downright unfair to be persecuted for something you did not do or at least has already stopped doing. It's hardest to go to that place each day knowing that you will be judged and misunderstood for the simplest and most innocent of things. I am not a fan of confrontations because I usually can't contain my tears and my emotions  but I think it's a whole lot better than continuously be treated like crap. 

I know this blog is supposedly dedicated to anything save for negativity.Pardon me but I just have to let this out my system.

On to a happier note...

We went to this eerily beautiful mangrove forest twenty minutes from Tagbilaran.The place has got an amazing sunset.

wearing:
Sheer batwing top - thrifted 
White shorts - thrifted Levi's
Tribal necklace - GCM
Silver sandals - GCM