Little Thrills

A cousin had recently joined the bandwagon of wedded bliss.  This was where they had exchanged sweet I Dos, and where that neverending curse of simultaneously breaking two pairs of shoes expectedly happened. 

Nuestra Senora de Gracia Parish Church, Makati City

My two Mothers celebrated their birthdays a few weeks back.  First, my real Mother.  Of course, I was once again M.I.A.  Read:  Philippines.  The celebration happened at Little Italy, NYC, with two other August celebrants, my sister Rica (with a cone) and my SIL Jenn (in purple). 

Photo c/o Mother

Then, here I am with the "original" Marketing girls of the Ayala Malls celebrating the birthday of our "boss/mentor/friend" whom we call Mother.  It was two years ago when I wrote about how we had enjoyed her golden celebration.  Time flies fast.

Bugsy had finally gotten his long overdue grooming.  My intent was to have him groomed a week prior to my trip in October.  But with all his mattes, tangles and ape-like aura, I could no longer wait. I was beginning to call him chi-chi (dirty). Bathing and combing are now easy and breezy.  Alleluia!

That necklace I had worn above...Well, I've finally made myself my own beaded necklace for the first time.  Really!  I never had a creation in the past that I could claim and hold on to forever. Not even for a long time.  My favorite creations are usually the first to be sold.  This time around, I am not selling. My apologies to clients who had inquired.  This piece was made with an extra dose of love and care as the cross was an heirloom from Lola Liling (my paternal grandmother), while the medals were blessed and given as gifts by Tita Cyn (my father's sister) from her Lourdes Pilgrimage last year.

I have officially begun my Christmas shopping.  It is a must that I scrap this off from my task list before the busy Christmas Bazaars begin. 

Unfortunately, I failed on my early attempt to kick off my Christmas shopping.  But I am thrilled over my packaging tapes.  I went overboard and I want more.  Lol!

By Beaded Story has finally reached its 100th like mark in Facebook.  Yay!  To celebrate, a Mother's Heart arrangement was given for free to two lucky likers.  Both winners chose a Mother's Heart bracelet, one of which is bound for Vietnam then Singapore this weekend.  Bugsy took care of randomly picking the winners through a sniff and a lick.  I swear, I love my packaging tape!

Since I'm doing things in advance these days, I have recently announced By Beaded Story's next raffle gimik that will be drawn on Christmas day.  All you have to do is to send a photo of you wearing any By Beaded Story necklace or bracelet in order to get a chance to win a Tala (murano) necklace.  You may post your photo via private message in By Beaded Story's facebook account.  Detailed mechanics will be shared soon, but in the meantime, here's an entry submitted this week.

Photo c/o client.  Necklace:  Mother's Heart (Our Lady of Fatima).

And lastly, I'm thrilled over this photo shared by my brother on Facebook.  I would love to meet this vendor and drool over his beaded crafts.

 

Ho-Ho-Ho! Kung Hei Fat Choi!

Like what I said here, attendance is a MUST on family gatherings.  Otherwise, prepare for a long battle! 

I skipped my side's annual gathering last Christmas, a bold sacrifice due to an early commitment I made on my better half's side of the family.  The first time ever, but marriage does bring along forks and crossroads.  In this case, two family gatherings that happened on the same day and time, but on opposite sides of Metro Manila. 

In a nutshell, I skipped my side's Christmas gathering. So, a handful copied. An email followed with an enumeration  of relatives who have passed on to the next life. Then culminated with a strong pow-wow statement..."life is short,  let's find time together, it's just once a year.".

And so, we finally met...

to celebrate Christmas... (yes, the decors are still up.)

    

on Chinese New Year!!!

 HO-HO-HO! Kung Hei Fat Choi!

Updated Holiday Cheers 2011 slideshow

A few more added photos in this previously posted slideshow. Click on the play button.

Happy 2012 everyone!!!

Holiday Cheers 2011

2012 will be a year of extremes.  I'm sure of that.  But no matter what, in highs and in lows (nothing grey this time),  I know I am blessed. Cheers to you, your loved ones and your dreams!

Thinking 2012

2 days before Christmas.  And all I think of is 2012...

1.  Expect the unexpected.

2.  Doors will close for growth.  Unfortunately sooner than projected. But another prayer answered.

3. Onto the next chapter with thread and needles.
4.  Begin and end each day with a thank you.
5.  Explore.

One day, I will expound. For now, I wish you all a merry, cheerful, blessed Christmas! -- Trix

25-plus years friends

This lunch, I'm scheduled for a bit of catching up with a few college friends.  A year long of living our own day-to-day usual grind, isn't it just wonderful how Christmas can bring everyone together even just for a day.  I'm looking forward.

And boy did I enjoy yesterday's threesome celebration of friendship. 25-plus years, and still going...

Like in the past,  I surrounded them with beads :)



Pre-Christmas Hodge Podge

Having fun with your pre-Christmas festivities?

I'm cruising along.

I have zero available stocks of these necklaces. I need to make more. Orders are piling up.

This year is its year! 

Then, I panicked after dropping by Sonya's Garden yesterday.  Recently delivered bead works are close to depletion. So, new stocks shall be delivered in a day or two. 


This ceramic wide open mouth multi-purpose  fish holder is now officially extinct.  I sold all, except one- mine! Quite a number of clients have asked what they could put in its mouth.  Well,  I put anything and everything I could think of including onions and garlic.

 Talk to J. Bond to know how overly "cuckoo" I went over this fish.

Of course, I had absolute fun during the Pharmacy's Christmas Salo-Salo. We went home all hyped up and roaring with laughter from the whole day affair.  

 

 

  

 Then, there's this green wall I've been going home to everyday.  It will be turned back to its original white state this weekend.  Alleluia!

Lastly, I am addicted to this game called Pachinko. Serious!  Next in line...

More hodge podge coming soon.

Best 3: STRESS!!!

I'm serious and rather proud to claim that STRESS is a "best"!  But before I expound  further, here's a recap of my first two bests:  1)  BUGSY (and his licks), 2) BUTTER.  

Back to Best 3: STRESS...

In a nutshell, it was STRESS from my not so long-ago corporate life that I had found myself immersed in the world of beading.  A stress-reliever that had given birth to six collections namely, Beaded Cloth, Tala, Flora, Chalk, Laso and Butones. Now that I have moved towards a more relaxed day-to-day life, I continue to bead as much as I can.

But yesterday, I capped my day highly stressed.  Pharmacy-related which pertained to  a concern that has happened in the past, most especially during days with unforeseen leaves and unscheduled meetings.  No need to dwell further, but I was robbed of my good night's sleep.  So in the morning, J. Bond awoke to this sight...

Me (still in my night shirt) and a walis tingting (coconut broomstick) adorned with red, gold and green beads. While at the height of last night's stress, I fought hard to think Christmas.  My way of lightening the red hot mood (read: 10 minutes of sermon at 10:30PM).  So, I beaded...J. Bond woke up shocked...and now that I have cooled off , I am shocked as well.

It is still a work in progress, but I am loving every part of it. 

Will surely share with you the finished Walis Tingting Christmas decor soon :)  J. Bond says to keep this decor all year round, but change the beads according to season.  Why not?!

Shopping early for unique finds

I felt Christmas while I walked along a short block yesterday morning.  Come to think of it, Christmas is literally just around the corner.  The decors are out and the festive jingles have begun.  I love how the early morning cool breeze of January-February have arrived earlier than usual. Reminds me of the cool, clean and crisp climate back then.  

Then in the afternoon, I capped my Christmas shopping HERE.  An aunt who goes crazy over great bargains like I do introduced me to this treasure trove. Amazing finds!

Like this open-mouthed fish.

I'm thinking of stuffing its mouth with hand towels or paper napkins. My aunt  will arrange and decorate her fish's mouth with dried flowers instead.

A day ago, I raised a friendly reminder to my friend to shop for Christmas gifts early.  Her habit is to shop a day before Christmas, then caps it off with a zoinked out mood.  Once, I found her seated in a daze right smack at the middle of the mall with shopping bags scattered all around the floor.  Obviously dead tired from the rush and long lines, yet still in major panic since her shopping was far from over.  I'm her opposite.  I  love the hunt for unique finds without the rush.  So, I begin way ahead of everyone else and take my sweet time.

If there's in any way you can relate to my friend's way of shopping yet on the hunt for something unique like me, By Beaded Story's Mother's Heart necklaces are back.  A unique yet heartwarming gift for the lovely women in your life.  You may order online by sending an email to bybeadedstory@gmail.com or posting via private message in facebook.

To view all collections, click HERE.