Ureshii: 6 -- The Year-ender

Wednesday, December 31, 2008 Jonette 0 Comments


photo courtesy of Dappers.

嬉しい (ureshii):

Outside, fireworks whizz and bang and boom for all their money's worth, and cars and sirens blare themselves hoarse in defiance to the wet weather. People eat, drink, kiss. Making merry, plans, resolutions, and perhaps for the lucky few, love.

The beer is setting in. Perhaps it was a bad decision to go Strong Ice. Meh. Only thing on the fridge anyway, and I'm not to sure about popping open the rhum or the gin. It's nice and warm now in my belly, but it's not enough to keep me from thinking I should be all warm and alcohol fuzzed, snuggled asleep in your arms.

It's been years, and you still give me the love-shivers.


You've been quite perplexing, baby. It's been a very weird time with you, and really, sometimes you can get very infuriating. You love pulling fast ones on me, and I will still have some trouble getting over those. (Well, I probably will eventually, but still!) You've too often sent me running for my time, and money, and health, and have made me extract that last, last burst of energy I never knew existed -- both to finish the job, and maybe, just hopefully, have enough left over so I can wring the living daylights out of you. Then, you pull another fast one, and sweep me off my feet with very random and exhilarating moments. Creative conquests, family and friends, and pat on the back or a kiss on the forehead for a job exhaustingly yet well done -- It's enough to drive a girl crazy, but I gotta admit, you make a woman out of me.

You've been as wierd as I am, dear 2008, and for that I am thankful for you, and yeah, I think I do like you.

You've been tough on me in more ways than I care to count, but you've also brought me so much joy. You've taught me the value of learning, and what it is to eke out as much of it as I can because the world does turn and will not wait for me. You've shown me the value of intense work and intense play, and how too much or too little of each other can be very bad for you. You make me redefine the words Family and Friends in my vocabulary over and over again, and thus, you make me practice what I teach.

You reduce me to terrible metaphors and half-turned phrases, and all I can do is be very, very sincere.

I now know that Love sounds like peaceful snoring beside you on a cold, wet evening, and that makes me happy.

You've given me cold, hard bones, 2008, and all I can think off right now is how amazing it's all been giving them flesh and blood, giving it a face, giving them bones a voice that sings the truth.

You are astonishing, 2008. And I love you.


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Little Jar Life

Wednesday, December 31, 2008 Jonette 0 Comments

Photo courtesy of Kuky Ideas.


Don't ask me, but I find this photo immensely refreshing right now.

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Snap-Happy: Trip to Cubao Expo

Wednesday, December 31, 2008 Jonette 0 Comments

There are some places where I'd rather be lost in than buss about to finish chores in. Cubao Expo is one of them.

show, not tell.














Pinoy cabs have this way of waking you up through a traffic jam.


And I had to quickly head for home. Bagfuls of Tapuy and Lambanog for Christmas gift-giving to relatives are not the lightest of loads.

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Back to the Corset 2

Thursday, December 18, 2008 Jonette 0 Comments

Missed the first part of the story? Read it here.

My clock now officially reads 1:35pm. I really need to put down my corset project for today. I've been seam-ripping and putting certain parts back together and hemming this since 10:00 am. I've been hemming since 10:00 am on only four hours of sleep. I officialy must be insane.

Haaaay... Y'see, this is exactly the kind of thing my boyfriend scolds me for, and not in a Donna Summer kind of way. I really need to discipline myself when it comes to activities and time management. Once I start, it's really difficult for me to put something down until I see it take some form close enough to how I'd envisioned it. I think this is something I got from my mom.

The fact that a small-sized serving of coffee kept me wired for most of the night does not help. At all. *mighty sigh*

Well then. Might as well suck it in and head off for a bath. (No, Subconcious, you are not going for another corset-run. No, that does not take "just a teensy while". I've put away the sewing machine, and tied up the cord. I mean it.)

(Hmm. Surprising fact: Donna Summer once sung for a Pokemon Movie. Who'da thunk?)

On a more positive note... Yesterday was very good proof that God is a DJ.

You know you've grown with someone for such a long time when you hear tunes you disliked as a teen and now find yourself singing along to (once more, with feeling! and emoting!), not because you know he likes them but because you sincerely and secretly(!) rocked out to them all along.

These made my day.


Bon Jovi

So, tell me... what song is playing in your head right now?

To follow this story, click here.

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Back to the corset

Sunday, December 14, 2008 Jonette 0 Comments

I have finally and properly pinned the panels of the corset, and have sewn them together.

Heaven help us all.


Oh, I haven't told you?

Well, the corset was supposed to complement the gray skirt, and well, Life started happening so quickly as it always does, and I had to set it aside.

It's quite possible I may set it aside again after sewing the outer layer and the lining.

I do intend to shape it to match my curves, and I also do intend to add boning to it. Although the original tutorial used a different type of stiffening material, it doesn't hurt to experiment, right?

So, there.

I'm hankering right now to make myself a new skirt in time for the holidays (here we go again, jumping from one project to the next), but all in good measure.

We now return to our viewing of The Duchess, as scheduled. ^_^

For what happens next, click here.

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Ureshii: 5

Friday, December 12, 2008 Jonette 0 Comments

courtesy of Kuky Ideas.

嬉しい (ureshii):

To be glad, happy, delighted, joyful, overjoyed, cheerful, pleased, contented, grateful, elated, jubilant, exultant, ecstatic, euphoric, enraptured thrilled (to bits), over the moon... you get the picture. ;)


Waaaaah! I've been out and about for the first half of my day. I've been zipping around my living area ever since eleven this morning (which is quite early for my workshift.) for some reason, I still feel stoked with how much I've accomplished for the day. No big deal, yeah, but still!


  • The feeling of ticking off to-do tasks in your head, and relishing the feeling of having done something good today. Hell yeah!
  • My new Caha de Oro drawer. To the rest of the non-pinoys out there, the Caha de Oro is a plastic dresser popular in many a Filipino home. Its drawers come with their own locks and keys, and may come with varying accoutrements, like a mirror or a set-in alarm clock. the Caha de Oro is preceded by its more steadfast and popular sister in plasticity, the Orocan. We Filipinos swear by the might of its make, and you can read why here.

    Back to the dresser. I've wanted to get my sewing things organized after such a long time. (It's not pleasant to sleep in the living area with a pile of clutter overhead. ) I'm glad all the notions and cut-out patterns and books and a portion of my fabric pile is now neatly nestled where they are meant to be. I still need to clear out a drawer to store more fabric -- now just what to do with the leftovers and recyclables...

  • A full moon tonight! perfect for dancing, kissing, and howling under it, naked or otherwise.


  • Martial Law Babies, by Arnold Arre. W00t! I'm honestly stoked that Sir Arnold's newewst graphic novel is finally out and about! It's about growing up under Martial Law in the regime of Ferdinand Marcos, being shaped by 80's TV and Music. As taken from About:

    Their ambitions may be dampened by third world realities and malcontention but they also proudly belong to a generation of dreamers who fight for their voices to be heard. They are among the so-called "Bagong Lipunan" children, trying their best to live up to their name. But over the years, as Allan watches his friends leave one by one and feels his sense of idealism wane, he starts to wonder where they are all headed.

    Sigh.

    If you're in the Philippines, go grab your copy now at ComicQuest in SM Megamall, and Kaffe Cafe in Banawe Street, Quezon City. It'll soon make appearances in most major bookstores, but why wait when you can order online? (you cheeky darling, you.^_~*)

  • The Enchanted Doll, by Marina Bychkova. As-tounding. Methinks this deserves a post of its own. (coming very soon, I promise!) Nonetheless, it made me really happy.

courtesy of Jennie Castillo.

  • My new Vivitar Slim and Wide Camera. This is my first step to Lomography. Kudos to the lovely Jennie C! I do believe this may be the start of a wonderful friendship. ;)

  • Arashi songs as a pick-me-up. Work buddy April took me out to dinner on an evening that was going less than pleasant. (Une petit agent provocateur is also responsible for infecting me with her love for Japanese boy bands and their game shows. :P) In the middle of moodily poking at my sushi, this song came on.

    (It's fun-ner when you watch it. ^_^)




  • The Typealyzer. Give it your blog's URL and it'll tell you what kind of personality your blog has. (or, how you write it out to be.) I was pleasantly surprised with my results.




  • Where the Dewey Decimal System would place me if I were a book:



    Jonette Valenciano's Dewey Decimal Section:
    765 Metal engraving

    Jonette Valenciano = 05450052125439145 = 054+500+521+254+391+45 = 1765

    Class:
    700 Arts & Recreation

    Contains:
    Architecture, drawing, painting, music, sports.

    What it says about you:
    You're creative and fun, and you're good at motivating the people around you. You're attracted to things that are visually interesting. Other people might not always understand your taste or style, but it's yours.

    Find your Dewey Decimal Section at Spacefem.com




Alright, then. Three questions for you, dear reader. What made you happy this week?
And what do the two memes above say about you? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below. Come on now, don't be shy. ^_~*

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Hello. This is Jonette's brain.

Saturday, December 06, 2008 Jonette 0 Comments

Boy, do I have lots to spill, mwehehehehehehehe.

I'm here to tell you that your blog author has been planning updates or an overdrive basis, but is just too pooped right now to coherently put two and two together. So yeah.

But enough about her! Let's talk about me! Hell, I betcha you think I'm a lot more interesting than that big bag o' flesh and bones. Like, who needs opposable thumbs when you can type with your spinal column tendrils, right? Right?

And technically, I've been running this show for so long, and no one's been giving me credit. I mean, good gawd people! where's the love? Helloooo! Imagination from up here, yoohoo!

Actually, I help out a lot too.

Shut up, Subconcious.

Now then! Where were we talking about my fantastic self?

Guys? Guys? No, wait! Not the glass lid! No--

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Alan Watts: Work as Play

Saturday, November 29, 2008 Jonette 0 Comments

" [Joey] Valenciano shares Aves' view. Pinoy jazz is "whoever and whatever you are," he says, an entity that "no amount of iconography," such as the tattoos on his arms that interviewer Ron Nethercutt points to, can ever define.


I love my dad. I really do. He tells me that even though I've grown up away from him for such a long time, he's amazed at how much similarities we have, and how much influence he has with how my mind's grown over the years. (Which means if ever *knock on wood* I get screwy in the head, that's gonna be just me.)

I'm glad to say I'm (mostly) right in the head today because he shared with me his mp3 collection of the lectures of Alan Watts. He's something my father likes to call an "entertainer philosopher". His way of guiding his listeners through a "digestible" form of Eastern Philosophy is a breath of fresh air for me. Truth be told, I'd probably be a sorry wreck by now if I hadn't heard of him.

Before watching watching one of his lectures, listen in here for his caveat. (See? The guy's clean. He won't sell you anything.)

Ready? Let's begin.



Work as Play, Part I:





Work as Play, Part II:





Work as Play, Part II:





Here's a short collection of animated shorts Trey Parker and Matt Stone made for Alan Watts' lectures.

What do you think? :)



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Quiz: Rainbow

Friday, November 28, 2008 Jonette 0 Comments

Well, then!

Your rainbow is intensely shaded pink, orange, and violet.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

What is says about you: You are a creative person. You appreciate everyone around you. You are a good listener and your friends are glad to have you around in difficult times. Others are amazed at how you don't give up.

Find the colors of your rainbow at spacefem.com.



Sounds almost too good to be true, but I'll say thank you for now. :)

alright, folks! Take the test, and spill the beans. what's your rainbow like? ;)

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Bjork and Antony Hegarty: The Dull Flame of Desire

Friday, November 28, 2008 Jonette 0 Comments

Usually, it takes a lot for me to appreciate Bjork's music, but this time, this duet for the song was unmistakeably inspired.



a few hours later...

Another Bjork song!

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Webbie Spotlight: The Paper Basket and Poptastic

Friday, November 28, 2008 Jonette 0 Comments




Hark, hark! For the girly girls, the blushing brides, and those simply looking for a different flavor of shirt humor, these may be the sites for you.

The Paper Basket and Poptastic are sister sites run by Cynthia Bauzon-Arre, freelance graphic designer, fun online buddy and modern-day working-girl hero. (This lady. Is. Awesome. If there was such a thing as a hundred-flavored jungle fruit juice, I'd name it after her. And it'd come in a huge one-liter doy pack, and it'd have its own oversized sippy straw. And you'd burp rainbows. Yep, she's that awesome.)

As The Paper Basket suggests, the discerning and tasteful bride or wedding planner will find "Bride t-shirts, wedding party apparel, and pretty-patterned note cards & gifts that show you care." are you the Bride- or Groom-to-Be? Part of the Bridal Party? Engaged? Going on a Honeymoon? These are perfect when you can hardly contain the happiness bubbling up inside. (Bubbly not included.) The Paper Basket is also perfect for the girly girls out there, whether they be single or happily taken.


Poptastic has a little something for TV, Movie, 80s or Retro buffs, or the sci-fi overlords. It also offers shirts for "Words of Wisdumb" lovers ("You can never can tell!") , the incurable sweet toothies, and the indomitable class clowns in this school called Life. It also has a choc-ful of pop-art gifts, featuring the illustrations of Writer, artist, and my forever High School Hero, Arnold Arre.

So what are you waiting for? C'mon, Let's Join Us! XD

I now leave you with this ditty, courtesy of Cynthia, Inside.

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Just thought I'd share...

Thursday, November 27, 2008 Jonette 0 Comments

My friend April shared a list of placement humor photos, and this one struck me as lovely.



as taken from Buburuza.net.

That's all. *^____^*

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The Pirate/Admiral costume: The Shirt.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008 Jonette 0 Comments

Halloween May have come and gone, but the documentation remains. Forward ho!

In preparation for Ang Bandang Shirley's Scary Debut Album Launch, I wanted to show up dressed for the occasion, be counted, and have the time of my life. I owed my cousin Selena big time, and thought this was one of the best ways I could show support.

I decided on something a little bit steampunk, a little bit pirate, a little bit lolita, a little bit reenactor. In the end, I think with all these elements mixed together, I ended up with your regular costume. Ah, well.

The list!
Shoes? Check.Stockings? Check.
Gray Skirt? Check.
Top? Uhh...
Hat? er...
accents? Um...
So now, we set to work.



Threadbanger's third Steampunk episode gave me an idea for my top. I had bought a second hand, medium-sized, short-sleeved, men's polo from a thrift store just for the job. It was made of good, sturdy cotton twill, and I was pretty excited with the find.

I followed the instructions for the ladies' blouse -- marking, cutting, ruching, saving the collar. I further noticed that: One, the shirt was too long and too tight 'round my ample hips, and Two, the sleeves were too snug to wear comfortably through the night if I was to be waving my arms in the air and doing other crazy things you usually do in a concert. So what did I do? I cut off the excess length at the bottom and used some of the extra cloth to add space to the underside of the sleeves. With the now-spare cloth at hand, I cut out generous triangular shapes from it. I next opened up the seam underneath the sleeves, the one that runs up into the armpits of the shirt. with that, I pinned a triangle to each side of the opening, sewed it in, and repeated the same process for the other sleeve. (remember folks, it's easier to do this if you turn the shirt right side in, pin accordingly, and sew.) I next hemmed the triangles by following the original hem of the sleeve. Voila! Bigger sleeves!

I wanted to try a shirring technique I read on Kuky Ideas to secure the neckline. It was fun experimenting how tight the shirring would become with different stitch lengths.




The semi-finished top.


I was glad to see my top in its final form, but thought that it lacked a certain something. It looked too ... High School? Tame? then I realized... Buttons.

sewing the brass-ish buttons on.



a detail of the shirt buttons.



and Voila.


detail of the collar button. I love this baby.


So there. Two more items checked off the list (top and accent), one last but not least one to go: the hat.

So tell me, readers: every tried recycling or revamping a thrift store item into something smashing? Do share what you got in the comments. ;)


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Ureshii: 4

Tuesday, November 25, 2008 Jonette 0 Comments


嬉しい (ureshii):

To be glad, happy, delighted, joyful, overjoyed, cheerful, pleased, contented, grateful, elated, jubilant, exultant, ecstatic, euphoric, enraptured thrilled (to bits), over the moon... you get the picture. ;)


1) Fashion designer Tippi Ocampo. Tippi Ocampo is best known for her fun, playful designs and use of color. She takes inspiration for her designs from everyday objects, and turns them into something lovely. Looking at Tippi's work has taught me two things. One, Fashion doesn't necessarily have to look extravagant or "faaahbulous" to
look great, and Two, It's good to give your imagination a box of crayons and let it play.It's all part of the creative process, after all! The surprising things your imagination can bring out is what makes it fun.

Photo courtesy of TippiOcampo.com.


Plug! Plug!

Tippi Ocampo will be holding an exhibit of her work (hark! not a fashion show, but an exhibit!) from November 24 to 30 at Greenbelt 3, Makati. the exhibit will bring to life the contents of her newly-launched book Not By the Book, all snug and cozy in a sumptuous chocolate cloth cover and an embroidered title. (ooh-la-la!) It lets the reader into her creative process. the book will be available for the duration of the exhibit, and will be found in leading specialty bookstores after. I do dream of procuring a book for myself.





Picture Courtesy of Wired.com.


2) Zuda Comics' Bayou. Lee is an African-American young girl working with her dad on an estate in 1930s Mississippi -- a place where justice and due process is overturned by the color of your skin. Strange things have happened before Lee's eyes, things that she herself cannot explain. Now, her friend is missing, a white girl her age, her father has been unjustly accused and faces the fury of a lynch mob. Only Lee has the courage to seek out the monster who took her friend Lily hostage and prove her father's innocence. What horrors and wonders await as she steps into the misty, murky world of Bayou?

to read the online comic, click here.

3) Röyksopp's video Remind Me on Vimeo.com.

4)Food Porn. a new click takes you to a new picture. click, drool, repeat. ^___^*

5) This just in: Love is when your man knows how to cheer you up from a gassy, burpy belly by sending you this picture:


Yep. that's love for you. ^____^*

Alright, you wunderkinder of all ages and persuasions: what made you happy today? :)


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A Mask for Barney

Friday, November 14, 2008 Jonette 0 Comments


Every year, officemate and good friend Barney always aims to impress. No, not impress -- astound. He makes it a point to set up quite a spectacle at his workstation when the mood strikes him -- much more so during Halloween and Christmas. This Halloween, he bought papier-mache masks and gave each of his dear friends one to decorate. "Let it be something to represent you", he said. Since I know Barney to have a love for the beautiful and the fabulous, I decided to give it a go and see what would come of it.

I had a plan of sorts gelling in my mind of what it would look like, the materials, the texture, and so on. One half would be covered in black glitter, the other in decoupaged music. After I'd rounded up everything I needed, I was pretty much ready to go.



My materials:

  • The papier-mache mask
  • a plump packet of black glitter
  • a roll of string mini faux pearls
  • three pages of sheet piano music (I chose My Funny Valentine because I liked the song.)
  • a hot glue gun
  • a bottle of white glue
  • a pencil
  • a pair of scissors
  • a sponge brush, or a sponge-on-stick-shaped like a wedge.




I drew a line right where I wanted the division, and began prepping the glitter side. I diluted a generous amount of glue with a bit of water, and started brushing over the desired side evenly. I had to make sure I covered every patch of the mask half to ensure the glitter falls there and stays there.




I next laid the mask on a wide sheet of paper (here, the sheet music serves a double purpose) and began sprinkling the glitter over the treated half, making sure to cover all glue-y areas. I took the mask and tapped it on the back, making sure the other loose glitter fell onto the paper for easy collection and reuse. I let it dry for a minute or two. Sure, this gave the mask a layer of glitter, but I decided it would do well with a second layer. I I repeated the process, brushing glue evenly on the first layer, and pouring on more glitter to make it professional-looking.



While waiting for the second layer to dry, I started working on the sheet music. I choose certain lyrics from the song, determining whether they would look best as a whole or whether a single word would look great apart from the phrase. At this point, I was going with "what felt good" more than "what made sense".

I first tore the desired phrases carefully to separate them from the whole of the song. When the bits and pieces were finalized, I tore them even further to give them jaggedy, rough edges. It would make it look haphazard, and the uneven edges would help the pieces cling better to the glue.




The decoupage half of the mask was given another glue treatment, and the pieces arranged and glued on. I decided to extend the glued pieces a bit beyond the boundary of the mask for effect. It felt good. :) The mask was then laid on a makeshift stand (in this case, a cylinder box of a fondue set my mother sent home), and left to dry.



By the time the glue had dried, the decoupaged half no longer felt cool to the touch. This time, I gave the piano piece a generous spread of pure glue, and brushed it evenly to cover all paper surfaces. I placed it back on the stand, and left it to dry overnight. Doing this gave it a nice, sheer matte finish, and will preserve and stiffen the paper side.

I next took some mini faux pearl string, and secured the string at critical points with my hot glue gun. I learned that when working with the style, freeform isn't eactly free. Much like in this case, you have to determine what looks good, how this line will swoop or that line will curve, if you want curlicues or garlands or scribbles and so on.

I painted the lips on with frosted devil-red nail polish for impromptu sexiness.



The finished mask.



A closer view of the song.




The mask catching sunlight.


Whatdo you think? What kind of mask appeals to you?

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Ureshii: 3

Saturday, November 08, 2008 Jonette 0 Comments

嬉しい (ureshii):

To be glad, happy, delighted, joyful, overjoyed, cheerful, pleased, contented, grateful, elated, jubilant, exultant, ecstatic, euphoric, enraptured thrilled (to bits), over the moon... you get the picture. ;)



At last! A new Happy post! Oddly enough, I finally get the time to write it on a day I stay home sick.Well, truth be told, I was feeling perfectly fine for the first half of my shift. I must have eaten or inhaled something, because an hour into the second half, I couldn't bring myself to eat, nor hold my nonexistent dinner in. (did that make sense?) One thing led to another, and I soon found myself a few ounces short of blood and the doctor diagnosing me with a Bacterial Occult Infection.

Oh, yes. They found Aleister Crowley in my blood, doing the Butterfly Stroke to race the Loch Ness Monster. (Interestingly, there's a tale going 'round the internet that dear old Nessie might have been one of the after-effects of a spell Crowley tried out. Hmm... Let's just be thankful he never found out about The Miskatonic University. ^_^" )

Anyway! I'll need a couple of days' bed rest, lots of fluids, half a dozen antibacterials, and a paracetamol whenever I feel feverish.

Quick! Bring on the happiness!


Photo courtesy of Gavriel1.


1) Father-daughter time. For some strange reason, the best times my dad and I get to spend together now I've grown older are usually right after he fetches me from the ER. I really like it when he finds me sitting in the Waiting Section for my results and settles in beside me. We usually start out rather quiet, then a few words, what happened, folks at the office, memories of my great-grandmother, and that gets the ball rolling. Best part of the night? The conversations in and out of the hospital. We talk about anything -- color theory, how technology, geography and politics affect it, Kumb Mela, National Geographic, historical reenactors, documentaries, stuff. We usually have a super-late-night dinner before he brings me home. Yeah, great times. :)



Photo courtesy of Sunday.Girl.

2) The Marie Antoinette OST. It's revived my taste for British punk rock and the 80's. Favorite Tracks? Gang of Four's Natural's Not In It, Bow Wow Wow's Aphrodisiac, Siouxsie and the Banshees' Hong Kong Garden.




3) Pretty planners! When it comes to girlish cuteness, the Koreans seem to have it down to an art. I do admit, I'm terrible at keeping tabs of dates and organizing my life in general, but this just might be the best way to persuade me right now. ^_^*


Photo courtesy of oddgumi.

4)Mythbuster weekends. After anime marathons, dinner, and desset, Jaime and Adam bring on the experimentation. I like seeing how their determination fuels them to take their experiments further, and at the same time, how they discover and consider more options along the way. It's great to kick back and enjoy watching them take on scientific challenges and discoveries so we don't have to.They're the experts, after all! ^_^



5) New nail color! I now know how glamorous women must have felt back in the post-war era with cherry red at the tips of their fingers and toes. It's such a classic look, and it makes me feel very classy. On the other hand, I just couldn't resist a little embellishment. ;) teeny holograph stars are happiness. (kisses to Gala for the idea. ^_^)



6) Jonette, Alumni 1960. I wonder what my Master's Degree diploma would have read back then? If you have a taste for vintage glamour, mod, or vibe, Yearbook Yourself will be worth a try. I spent two hours on the site, trying on each look, and giggling myself silly. Have a full frontal mugshot ready, and you're set. (Merci beaucoup, Edwina!)

7) Successfully adding code to the blog template. Notice any changes with the longer posts? Thanks to Hackosphere, I can now set my entries to give previews. That gives you, my fine fabulous readers, the liberty to click and read through particular ones that tickle your fancy. (pretty much like this one -- seems you've come as far as this, I reckon it has. ^_^) Peekaboo!

6) and lastly: this lolpolitics:




Alright folks! I've shown you mine, you show me yours. What things have made you smile this week? ^_^

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Webbie Spotlight: How To Be Creative

Saturday, November 08, 2008 Jonette 0 Comments

Here's something good for your soul, whether you're a student, an artist, an engineer, or a homeboy, or anything that strikes your fancy. I found this rom one of GalaDarling's weekly Carousels, and thought it would be great to share it with all you beautiful people. Yes, I confess, Gala's been truly an inspiration, ever since I hopped into this blog. She rocks the pink hair of my childood dreams, and will mix you a martini from the Fountain of Eternal Youth. Bring cupcakes, while you're at it. ^_~*

And so, ladies and Gents, I give you How to Be Creative.


So you want to be more creative, in art, in business, whatever. Here are some tips that have worked for me over the years:

1. Ignore everybody.

2. The idea doesn't have to be big. It just has to be yours.

3. Put the hours in.

4. If your biz plan depends on you suddenly being "discovered" by some big shot, your plan will probably fail.

5. You are responsible for your own experience.

6. Everyone is born creative; everyone is given a box of crayons in kindergarten.

7. Keep your day job.

8. Companies that squelch creativity can no longer compete with companies that champion creativity.

9. Everybody has their own private Mount Everest they were put on this earth to climb.

10. The more talented somebody is, the less they need the props.

11. Don't try to stand out from the crowd; avoid crowds altogether.

12. If you accept the pain, it cannot hurt you.

13. Never compare your inside with somebody else's outside.

14. Dying young is overrated.

15. The most important thing a creative person can learn professionally is where to draw the red line that separates what you are willing to do, and what you are not.

16. The world is changing.

17. Merit can be bought. Passion can't.

18. Avoid the Watercooler Gang.

19. Sing in your own voice.

20. The choice of media is irrelevant.

21. Selling out is harder than it looks.

22. Nobody cares. Do it for yourself.

23. Worrying about "Commercial vs. Artistic" is a complete waste of time.

24. Don't worry about finding inspiration. It comes eventually.

25. You have to find your own schtick.

26. Write from the heart.

27. The best way to get approval is not to need it.

28. Power is never given. Power is taken.

29. Whatever choice you make, The Devil gets his due eventually.

30. The hardest part of being creative is getting used to it.

31. Remain frugal.

32. Allow your work to age with you.

33. Being Poor Sucks.

34. Beware of turning hobbies into jobs.

35. Savor obscurity while it lasts.

36. Start blogging.

37. Meaning Scales, People Don't.

37. When your dreams become reality, they are no longer your dreams.


For more details on each item, take a look here. Now go forth, and be brilliant. ^_^*



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Rock Me, Amadeus

Wednesday, November 05, 2008 Jonette 0 Comments

Falco, Rock Me Amadeus - Falco

More on this, coming soon... ;)

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Ang Bandang Shirley Scary Debut: Slideshow

Wednesday, November 05, 2008 Jonette 0 Comments

Ola, ola! At long last, here's a slideshow of the pictures I've taken during Ang Bandang Shirley's Scary Debut Album Launch. All the lovely, lovely people in their lovely costumes, having a loverly time.

To view a bigger version of the picture, just click on the TV screen.





Many thanks to jamkablam through Edwina for pictures of Selena. :)

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Cook It! Spaghetti with Oat-Meatballs

Sunday, November 02, 2008 Jonette 0 Comments

Hello, everyone. Alas, dust has collected on my poor blog, and it deserves a good shaking-out and new posts. I had to delete a few drafts in the process. To be honest, right now I'm creating so many things faster than my blogging can really catch up to. As I mentioned in Twitter, I'll give my sewing a sabbatical of sorts and focus on cooking, baking, and updating the blog. Hmm... speaking of which, if you see a number of posts in the future talking about certain sewing projects, please don't be surprised. It's just bringing the blog up to speed is all. :)

Whew.

With that said and done, on to the food!

This was another dish I picked up from good pal and Poppa Paul Lazo (the very same guy who brought us Baked Eggplants in Tomato Sauce.) . It's a good dish when you want no-fuss meatballs and sauce to set aside, ready for customization for other recipes.

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Ang Bandang Shirley Scary Debut! W00t!

Saturday, October 25, 2008 Jonette 0 Comments

Dear Ladies and Gents, I am very proud to announce that the Scary Debut album launch for Ang Bandang Shirley was a complete success! There were awesome people and awesome costumes to be seen, drinks to be had, and hap-hap-happy dancey music to rock to! True, my head and feet hurt from the heels, the cigarette smoke, head-nodding and dancing, but what the hell! My cousin-aunt Selena and her bandmates are made of unadulterated, authentic, concentrated joy and awesomeness, and make up 100% of your daily dietary allowance of Happy!







Pictures and videos shall follow shortly, soon as I retrieve my uploading cable from my workstation. At the office. (Silly, silly girl.) a shout-out to NineMoons and Guia for taking time off their busy schedules to head-nod, dance, and join the throng of costumed indie-folk and music lovers.

Copies of the album was sold as the band played, and it features a pocket-sized and headphoned pinoy Kokeshi doll, looking askance at cork stamps and petite religious items. The back cover shows the same doll at rest, snuggling on the warm comfort of a cotton towel serving as insulation for tasty, piping-hot balut. (Subliminal Message: Buy the CD. You want to buy the CD. You must buy the CD. You will buy the CD. Tomorrow!)




For the non-Philippine-bound readers, do feel free to enjoy the band's unique sound with this finely-crafted playlist.The songs may be in Filipino, but the music will make you want to fall in love with Living all over again.

Ang Bandang Shirley Sampler

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This is comforting, somehow.

Thursday, October 23, 2008 Jonette 0 Comments

you are lavender
#E6E6FA

Your dominant hue is blue, making you a good friend who people love and trust. You're good in social situations and want to fit in. Just be careful not to compromise who you are to make them happy.

Your saturation level is very low - you have better things to do than jump headfirst into every little project. You make sure your actions are going to really accomplish something before you start because you hate wasting energy making everyone else think you're working.

Your outlook on life is bright. You see good things in situations where others may not be able to, and it frustrates you to see them get down on everything.
the spacefem.com html color quiz

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The Birthday Dress: Raise the Hemline

Wednesday, October 22, 2008 Jonette 0 Comments

... and alternatively titled How I May Have Had a Terrible Lapse in Judgement of Taste.

Remember The Birthday Dress? Right. I was all too happy to finally go on a long break for my birthday last week with every intention of resting, baking, and sewing, sewing, sewing my eyes out.

Hm. That didn't quite come out all too pleasant.

Come to think of it, with a lineup like that, I'm not going to get much rest done, am I? Well...The first project aching to be finished was the Birthday Dress. With the straps repositioned, it needed to have its hem shortened, and how. Just how much?

Ye Gods! The Large Viking Sings!

I'm sure the feeling is mutual.

Of course, as always, before doing any snipping or sewing, I put the dress through a good hot iron pressing to make sure I'd cut precisely and evenly. I was pleasantly surprised to find the dress' material was soft, silky, and cool to the touch after a session with the iron.

Next, came the cutting. And sewing in the hem.

And here we are.



The dress seemed like a pretty good idea at the time. So did taking it out for a test run at work. It went fine at the start, but I slowly started realizing a lot of other things I could do to make it ehem, decent.

Lessons:
  • Invest in a good strapless or convertible bra. I couldn't help but wince at the realization, but I swallowed it down all the same. I've had a terrible history with the strapless bra, and was reluctant to try one one again. Nonetheless, no matter what your bust size is, all women need support in one way or another. (and that goes for me, too.) If you're big busted, like me, it's imperative you get your loveys the support they need. they do deserve to look good too, after all.
  • In this regard, I believe small-breasted ladies have something very good going on for them, too. Most fashion options are very much open to them, and going sans bra can be quite chic or indie, depending on how well they can carry it off. It's all about attitude and confidence. Which brings up a lesson that demands to be written:
  • If you're a busty woman, for god's sakes, don't go out without a bra! As mentioned above, your lovelies deserve all the love and support they need when stepping out, too. However, if you're absolutely positive about the lift and firmness of your lovelies and can brave the stares, whispers, giggles and whatever pettiness people can do, I salute you. (Heck, if you can pull it off with flair and panache, come see me and I'll buy you a drink!) Although I do admit, I'm rather partial to nipple petals or pasties. For a much more comprehensive look at going braless in public, here's an impartial view on the subject. ( Warning: if your bosses or coworkers go white at the sight of boobies, perhaps it's best to read the article at home. ^_^")
I've half a mind to sew up a bit of lace to the bodice to give it a Sabrina neckline, or to modify the straps and add small sleeves to give it an off-the-shoulder look. (Puff sleeves might be nice.) The goal? to raise the neckline a few inches higher, at least two to three inches below the collarbone.

Bottom line? It's no use scandalizing your workmates and bosses, or giving them the fright of their lives... unless you enjoy doing so with unapologetically irreverent glee. (It might be a good idea on your last day of service before moving on to the next job, if that's your thing. ^_^"")


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