Had a lovely birthday month, spending time with some of my favorite people in the world. There are days when I wish we all had more time to spend with each other—to cancel out hours wasted in traffic, make up for years we’ve lost touch, and never have a reason to turn down an invitation.
Music Monday
My niece is one cool kid. My brother’s band recently came out with a new album and she drew the art for it. I mean this child! Love her so much.
Tasty Tuesday
Made lots of bread this month including eggless brioche buns topped with Everything But the Bagel seasoning, my fave white sandwich bread, and an attempt at homemade Butternut munchkins (my coating needs improvement). Had a winning combo of Arabica’s Spanish Latte with an Orange Milk Chocolate Cookie from Ben’s Cookies before dinner with my high school barkada. Also tried the waffles at Elephant Grounds with a delicious scoop of Hazelnut ice cream. 100% would come back for it with a side of fries, lol.
Wishful Wednesday
My best friend Laika and I have the kind of friendship that is quite low-maintenance. She has 3 kids, so I know she’s got a lot on her plate. We rarely see each other but when we do, we always pick up right where we left off. We know when someone is going through something difficult even without saying anything. I’ve known her for 3 decades now and we finally got the chance to go on our first trip together. It was a quick trip to the beach where I only wanted to eat and sit by the shore. I knew it would be a welcome break for her, too.
The past 2 years have been a learning experience for me. The longer I go along this path, I realize that everything that has happened was meant to happen. I’ve always been the glass half-full kind of girl and though this year was a particularly tough one, there were so many magical things to remember, too. I still get sad at the thought of spending Christmas without my dad (and my Kuya‘s family) this year. But like many years before, I know my wish for a meaningful Christmas and fulfilling New Year will always be something that will come true. Traditions change and stay the same as long as you need them to.
Thoughtful Thursday
I started getting my annual birthday reading in 2017 with Practical Magic. And every year since, I’ve constantly been enlightened after the cards have been pulled. I always get the Death card, but this year, it seems like I will be done with major changes in my life. And thank goodness for that, because the past 2 years have been nothing but constant endings and beginnings. The great thing about going through life-altering events is that you get into the groove of dealing with loss, grief, and everything between. You learn a lot about how you react to certain things, how you cope, and how you’re able to move forward. There are still some changes afoot but I’m surprisingly very chill about it. I’ve gotten better at going with the flow and trusting that everything will fall into place soon enough.
Fashion Friday
We’ve moved into the Make Space Today pop-up at SM Aura and we’re there until the end of the year. I never thought I’d ever sell stuff I made but here we are. Thrilled whenever I make a sale and even more when my friends say they’d love to buy something from my shelf. My newest wares are a ginkgo leaf jewelry dish and a confetti platito. There are some Dandy Ona x Prima hair clips and Hey Kessy Jewelry clay earrings available in limited quantities, too. You can always message me if you want to order something that’s not currently on the shelf.
Here’s how you use the jewelry dish. I really wanted to create a dish that had a space for rings, so the ginkgo leaf was the perfect shape for what was in my head. Still experimenting with glazes (this one was supposed to be pink, but as you can see, they turned out white haha) and thinking of other things I can create. What would you love to see on my shelf? Pop by the 3L of SM Aura to snag any of my stuff until the end of the month. It’s a great shopping spot for holiday gifts if you’re looking for things for family and friends. Will be eternally grateful for the support.
And just like that, we’re at the beginning of the end. First week of the last month of the year. Of the decade. How are you spending it?
