Quick Outift Post

Cebu was fantastic! We really enjoyed it there. The food was wonderful and the people were so nice. We did not meet a single bad cabdriver. BLISS.


This dress is what I pretty much wore while we were out (there was also the green Japanese fabric shirtdress, but I posted about that already) Glad I brought dresses because it was HOT over there. I don't think I would have survived the heat wearing jeans. 


These pictures show Connor and I where we love to be: Timezone and Red Mango Frozen Yogurt. 

Photobooth Picture from Timezone Cebu.

This is probably the loudest dress in my closet. This is probably the loudest dress I've ever owned. EVER. The contrasting collar is hot pink and the print is a combination of turquoise, pink and red. I fell in love with the fabric the second I saw it. It was so uncharacteristic of me to buy something so cheerful. So off it went to my seamstress for her to do another Red Cross uniform shirt-dress. I realize that with the sudden mushrooming of nursing schools in the country, this dress could resemble nursing school uniforms in terms of silhouette. I've seen several schools use white shirt-dresses as school uniforms with those large, hideous and translucent shank buttons. There was even a school that used red and white striped fabric, like a peppermint, for their uniforms. But with this print and contrasting fabric you cannot possibly mistake it for anything other than a loud loud button-down floral dress that's perfect for this summer heat.

I love my boys so much, it's making my heart hurt.

Off We Go!

Photo from Flickr via Google Images.

We are busy packing for Cebu! It's going to be our first vacation as a family in a long time. We're so excited about the sights, the food and seeing my parents of course. They recently bought a house and we can't wait to see it and stay there. There is also talk that we may be having a day trip to Bohol to see the Chocolate Hills. Pictures soon!

Review: Pond's Cold Cream

We all know what this is. My mother, two grandmothers and my aunts used it. There was always a pot of it on their vanities and bathroom counters, right next to their makeup and hairbrushes. Being young and lacking foresight, I didn't want anything to do with cold cream because to me it was some kind of anti-aging device (it's not, but I used to think it was) Arrogant younger me didn't want to think of myself having wrinkles, dry skin, fine lines or the possibility of actually struggling with hard to remove mascara and eyeliner.


Then I turned thirty. Suddenly, the reality of age-related imperfections were all too real. My short stint in the mid-west with its bitter winters left me with dry spots on my face the won't QUIT. I also live in a congested city, so just living and doing stuff everyday make my face dirty. I can just sit and do nothing all day and I'll still end up with a coal miner's face.


I picked up a pot of it on a whim the last time I went grocery shopping with my parents. It was at the bottom shelf in small packages. It made me a little sad because I remember my grandmothers dipping into gigantic pots of Pond's back in the day. It was used liberally everyday, so they needed a lot of it. Oh yeah, the pot was made of glass. I do miss that.


I was wearing my usual makeup look that day: MAC Studio Tech in NC-30, MAC Russian Red lipstick and MAC Gel Liner (black). I used to use Connor's baby wipes to take my makeup off, then do my usual Apricot Scrub and Neutrogena facial wash, then finish with a moisturizer. I found that I needed to scrub extra hard to get the liner and the lipstick off with the wipes and I'd still end up with raccoon eyes the next day, even after the scrub and facial wash.


So I try the cold cream: I dot pea sized amounts of cold cream on several places on my face and I rub gently then I wipe it off with facial tissue. KABOOM. All the garbage and makeup went from my face to the facial tissue. It was delightfully DISGUSTING. I wiped it all off and did another round of application until the tissue was clear of dirt and makeup. HOLY COW! Where WAS this stuff when I was a tragic, heavily-eyelinered Goth teenager? The knowledge that is was there all along just made me so sad. 


It has been about two weeks of daily Pond's use and my dry spots are gone, my fine lines are hardly discernible and I seem to have regained some my skin's lost elasticity. I also don't sleep with a face full of makeup anymore, even after repeated scrubbings. I'm just very happy with it. Best part of all this? It's CHEAP. I can drown myself in this stuff and still have leftover cash for more fabric.


So yeah, I'm a believer!


P.S. Your mileage may vary, okay? Pond's cold cream may work for me, but it may not work for you ESPECIALLY if you have sensitive skin. I don't have sensitive skin, it's pretty close to cast iron (my stomach's the same way, I can eat practically anything) So here's my disclaimer in case you break out in bleeding sores after using this product. Also, Unilever's not paying me to review this product. They used to pay our bills, but Mom changed companies.


P.P.S. So what's next on my agenda? Why, making my own cold cream of course. I shall indulge my inner mad scientist using a wire whisk and a bain-marie. Mwahahahahaha!

I have no idea where this came from...

...but I suddenly developed a MAD MAD MAD obsession with Nautical Dresses. Looks like I'm gonna be paying a visit to my favorite seamstress this weekend with navy fabric and red and white trim.


I seem to have some kind of sewing curse on me as of late. Anytime I try to sew or embroider for myself, something ALWAYS comes up. If I try to draw or paint or even read (YAYHUNGERGAMES) I am for the most part, undisturbed. Fortunately, I have the same good luck when I'm sewing something for a client or a friend. It's (whatever it is) just not in favor of me making my own clothes right now. The white surplice dress I blogged about a billion years ago is still very much unfinished (the front and back are done, but the side seams are not sewn together and a zipper has not been installed) and I fear it's going to stay that way until Christmas. (Please no.)


As always, I shall prevail. Somewhat.

HOTTIE!

I apologize for being kinda incoherent. Too much chocolate and sailor-y/nautical goodness, I guess. :)


PS All of these pictures are from my hard drive. I have no idea where I got these from anymore (I was on a right-click-save spreee) If any of these pictures are yours email me at lyra_kristine *at* yahoo *dot* com or comment on this blog so I can take it down or give you credit. Thanks!

Outfit of the Day: The Black Crepe Dress

Black Crepe 40s Dress. Black patent belt from Divisoria, ballet wedge shoes from CLN, dark purple tights from my sock drawer.

Just a quick outfit post. I had coffee a couple of days ago with my friend Carla who was leaving for New York the next morning ( I'm gonna miss your face, you crazy strumpet !!!)  and this is what I wore. I couldn't find a single seamed stocking in the magic sock drawer so I opted to wear dark purple tights instead. This is the third outfit of my no-jeans-rehab. I just wish I could get more stuff done sewing-wise, but with a three year old who has a fascination with pins, it's very hard.


In other news, I found this bedsheet in our Canlubang house, buried under our collection of inane looking-towels:

Super soft after a bajillion washes.

I have no idea if it's vintage or not. I do foresee a flowery border shirtdress in my future. Mwahahaha. Perhaps mimicking the dress style of the girl on the extreme right:

BEAUTIFUL. Look at her cute wedges!

Speaking of shoes, I need new ones. I ALWAYS need new ones. So I'm off to find the perfect pair(s). 

Rest in Peace, my Cleopatra. 

I have loved you from the time I saw National Velvet at eight years old.

Outfit of the Day: La Dia De Los Muertos Sunday's Best

Day of the Dead Blouse, me; High-waist pleated skirt, me; shoes by Kenneth Cole; kiss-lock purse by Alfa Delon; Cuban-heeled seamed stockings from Annelyn (heehee!); all my jewelry from my bling-loving mom.

This is what I wore last Sunday (March 20th 2011) to little Zoe's baptism. Remember that yard and a half of Day of the Dead fabric I bought on a whim? I wanted to turn it into a purse in the beginning (I was even able to locate a long lost silver kiss-lock frame just for that purpose!) but decided I would get more use out of this material if I used it for a garment. Fortunately, I had some cream colored cotton scraps available for the collar and the sleeve bands, so I didn't have to buy any more fabric. I finally used the vintage buttons I have been hoarding for the longest time on this thing.

Festive Dead!

The skirt was made out of black crepe with vintage buttons used as fastenings. No zippers here! I wanted box pleats for the skirt because... well, I kinda like box pleats. They look so... academic. And this skirt has terrific twirl, without exposing my ohsosehksay granny panties underneath (I kid... not really) I was also inspired by the high waisted 40's trousers and skirts from the 1940s. Almost everyone is into low-waisted skirts and trousers these days and I'm kinda tired of it. I figured, what the heck right?

Lipstick is MAC's Russian Red, which I am rapidly running out of. Must go to a nearest MAC soon!

The combination of puff sleeves and a high waist may or may not work for some people and it may not even work for me, but I'm just so happy with it. 

The priest is late.

My Cuban-heeled stockings in action.

My pretentious "fashion" blogger pose AKA the priest is REALLY REALLY late, I am very very hungry and these normally comfortable heels are killing me.

The baptism was a chaotic affair. There were about a dozen kids of different ages and sizes that were freaking out from the sheer amount of people, all that waiting for the priest who never showed up (another priest had to take over) and most of all, the heat. I was so glad I was wearing a skirt. At least I was somewhat ventilated. 

Outfit of the Day: The Red Cross Shirtdress

This is what I wore today. The dress is patterned after the "Grey Lady" American Red Cross Uniform of World War 2 in Japanese cotton fabric from Cotton Depot, Glorietta 5. The print is a bunch fans and flowers on a pretty jade background. The wedges are from Salsatrends, a local brand (I believe) and my black leather kiss-lock purse is from Alfa Delon.


I am slowly taking jeans out of my life (except when it's absolutely necessary, like when I have to go to certain dirty areas where wearing a skirt is simply NOT an option) I've always wanted a shirt-dress, but none of the shirt-dresses I've seen in the malls or online really appealed to me. Nothing looked right, there was always a catch. It was either too baggy, too drab, too bright, too thin, too short, too shiny, too scratchy... etc. I didn't want a drab, baggy boyfriend shirt dress, I'm a big girl (circumference-wise anyway. I'm kinda short, height-wise) and a drab, baggy boyfriend shirt dress is not going to do me any favors. So I looked to the past (as I always do) and I came across these pictures from the blog Unsung Sewing Patterns:

Photo from http://www.unsungsewingpatterns.net/

Photo from http://www.unsungsewingpatterns.net/

I was sold. A buttoned belt! Pockets! A flattering Princess style line! Tiny epaulets! Fantastic. My seamstress was also pleased because it was an easy dress to make (as opposed to the more complicated dresses I have her sew for my clients when I'm too busy with other things or too swamped with other projects to sew it myself) I love my seamstress. She does such excellent work. 

Pictures taken using my Blackberry camera phone. It was already late afternoon and the light was just mehhh. Better pictures coming soon!

A Sneak Peek!

A couple of days ago, my Uncle presented me with a large Louis Vuitton suitcase FULL of dresses he got at an estate sale. He deals with Antiques and Paintings and I was telling him on his last visit that I would love to get my hands on vintage dresses so I could study their construction, their fabric and their fit. He told me that the next time he goes to an estate sale, he was going to snag a couple of things for me. 


True to his word, he brought me this:

I had NO idea that it was going to be this AWESOME.

This baby is old. 

The suitcase alone had me jumping up and down with glee. The contents were just as fantastic. All sorts of dresses and gowns from the 1940's to the 1980's. I haven't photographed them all and I will as soon as I get them from the cleaners. Of all the gorgeous and questionable dress from that magical suitcase, this is the dress I am most excited about: an original Ben Farrales. Mang Ben is a legend in Philippine Fashion. I have no idea what decade this dress is from, I'm guessing the 1960's? It's like I'm holding a piece of history. It looks even better in real life. 

 In other news, sewing for myself has come to a complete stop due to work (sewing for others, that is) The cream Simplicity dress still on my worktable as well as the 1940's swing dress and what seems to be a bajillion more unfinished garments. Some projects are victims of startitis and some are fated to wait their turn while I finish and pay attention to more important things like Connor, family and friends, clients, the house and other things (in that order). Sigh. I shall get to it soon enough so I can give up wearing pants already!