PAPER BLOOMS

Paper flowers are definitely a fab and affordable way to decorate spaces or brighten up any kind of day. They can be made as thoughtful handmade gifts as they are easy to customize and can last for many seasons. Paper flowers are so easy to make and you can probably whip up close to a dozen flowers in about an hour. Materials are also cheap and readily available in stores (e.g. crepe, Japanese or construction papers, fabric tape, glue, wire, etc). They have a number of great uses such as home accents, table centerpieces or party décor. You can even make a flower wall backdrop for your candy table or dessert station. For weddings, you can make them into bouquets, flower crowns, corsages or boutonnieres.

 

Peony and Anemone (below). Photo grabbed from Artisan Design Studio

There are more than 100 types and techniques in making paper flowers. Through the years, even when I was still a child addicted to everything DIY and made of paper, I’ve learned a bunch of styles through pages of Origami books --- starting from the very basic to the more elaborate blooms. Nowadays, one only has to tune in to YouTube for video tutorials to get the idea and technique planted in mind.

 

 

As for me, I enjoy a classroom setup type of learning, especially when it comes to crafting. Special classes or workshops make learning more fun and interactive, and you get support and help from classmates whenever you have difficulties in carrying out the technique. Just this weekend, I, together with fellow mommies, attended a workshop by April San Pedro of Artisan Design Studio. There we learned how to make a Peony, Carnation, Anemone, Tulip and Camellia, plus methods in bleaching and dyeing papers to give them that gradient or two-toned effect. April shared with us her childhood frustration of having her own flower garden. She mentioned none of those she planted reached full bloom, despite the care and love she gave them. She soon realized this dream by creating blooms out of paper. Simply put, if you can’t plant them, craft them.

 

 

 

For the past days I’ve been posting photos of paper flowers on Instagram, I got a couple of requests from mommy-friends and little girls, asking if I can also share with them some basic guides or how-to’s. So I thought I’d take this chance by sharing what I know and show you some techniques and styles in making paper flowers. I hope kids and moms will have fun bonding over this DIY project at home. Soon, I’m sure you’ll be making more of these blooms for your “indoor garden”.

Enjoy!

Origami Flower

1.    Prepare 5 squares.
2.    Take 1 and fold it into a triangle.
3.    Lift the 2 side corners and point them up to the tip of the triangle. This will create a pleat on both sides. Just follow the line and fold accordingly.
4.    Insert your finger inside each fold and slightly open it from the inside to make a squash fold. Press down and flatten.
5.    Fold each triangular tip inward.
6.    Fold the side corners into the middle.
7.    Pull both sides together.
8.      Glue them together. The final petal will look like a cone.
9.      You need 5 pieces of this to make a flower. Just glue all 5 together.

Tissue Flower / Pom Pom
1.    Put together 6 layers of tissue / Japanese paper.
2.    Fold them like an accordion and cut and make a curve on both corners.
3.    Tie the folded layers in the middle using a rubber band or wire.
4.    Open the entire piece to shape like flower by pulling the ends together.
5      to 6. Separate the top 3 sheets by pulling each upwards, with the creases as your guide.
7      to 9. Do the same for the bottom part.

 

Flower made from layered petals

1.    Draw and cut 3 whole petal flowers. Keep 1 piece in its original shape. Cut off 1 and 2 petals accordingly from the 2 other flowers.
2.    to 7. For those 2 other flowers, you need to put glue on the corner petal and let it ovelap with the adjacent petal to create some sort of “cup”.
8.  to 9. Put together the layered flowers by gluing each in the middle, one on top of the other. You can add more layers if you want to add volume to your flower.





---
 Story published on my newspaper column, Metro Mom.
A1, INdulge, Edge Davao, Vol. 7 Issue no. 117, 27 August 2014.

BABY'S FIRST CLOSE UP

 

Although your baby may be too small to strike a pose for the camera, pictures are special keepsakes that parents treasure for a lifetime. In fact, taking baby photos is like a military mission for most moms, who will spare no cost and go to great lengths just to capture her baby’s precious moments for all family and friends to see. In my case, being a working mom, these photos have become the best antidote which eases all melancholy over missing my little one at home.

 

There are parents who opt for a photo session with an experienced portrait photographer to capture images of newborns and toddlers. A photographer who has the skill to work with children and babies knows how to manage any kind of situation ---- be it crying times, tantrums, or when nature calls. Some prefer to get professional pictures of their baby around newborn stage or the three week mark. One of the most enjoyable baby shoots is also during the sitting stage which is usually around 6-7 months, when babies have become to be more animated and interactive with the audience.

 

On another note, how, where, when and by whom the photos are done play only a minor part in the entire experience as what’s really important is to capture that magical essence of your baby. With your camera phone alone, you'll likely be snapping thousands of pictures of your child throughout the course of his childhood. Motherly instincts are enough to turn you into your baby’s own photographer who can calculate the best moments to capture tear-jerkingly beautiful images.

 

 

When planning your baby’s photo debut, remember that it’s important to make it comfortable for your little one. Props can prettify and add interest to your images, especially for a baby under 3 months who can’t do a dozen poses on his own. In this stage, babies can only be safely left unattended when lying down. Babies have sweet movements which do not have to be staged at all, so there’s no need to stress over having the perfect pose in every frame. A prop with sentimental value such as a handmade blanket or a hand me down teddy bear are good enough to enhance the overall frame. However, should you have any theme and scene in mind, there are also stylists in town who can help you execute your preferred backdrop and set design. As for the wardrobe, it’s best to keep it streamlined as bold patterns and prints can be distracting. Statement shirts may be impossible to read if you can't get your baby set and posed in the right position.

 

One of the problems you’ll probably encounter when photographing infants is deciding what sort of shots you want to capture. Photographers recommend that you bring yourself down to eye level or zoom in with macro lens to capture the extreme detail of his best features. If the baby sees you at eye level, there is a greater chance for interaction and expression. As you follow his every move with your camera, keep yourself on high alert for those inevitable photo opportunities. You may need to goof around to elicit a reaction. This can include playing hide and seek or making silly clucking noises. You can try to capture natural expressions or candid moments. After taking a full body shot, you may also want to take detail shots of his hands, eyes, feet and mouth --- all which you can put together to create a photo montage. These images, when put side by side, capture all of your baby’s dynamic personality. 

Natural light is often more pleasing to a baby's skin tones. As opposed to artificial lights or flash, photos taken using natural light are more realistic and delightful to the eye. It’s best to avoid the harsh midday light as will cast shadows on the face and your baby will be more likely to squint due to the flash of sunlight.

 

Don’t just create wonderful images of your baby – create memories with your baby! Let the baby inspire you. Be creative and enjoy this bonding experience with your little one. It’s one of those memories you’ll keep looking back and will forever remind you of the magic of your child’s innocent smile and touch.

Photos by Marlon Advincula. Visit Marlon Advincula Photography on Facebook or call 082 305 59 84. Set design and styling by Veejay Salonga of Decoratives by Janah & Hercs.

 

---

Story published on my newspaper column, Metro Mom.

A1, INdulge, Edge Davao, Vol. 7 Issue no. 112, 20 August 2014.

 

INTERIOR MOTIVES

Redecorating your home can be an overwhelming affair amid infinite options and styling possibilities. But let’s face it, that's what also makes it so much fun. Sometimes, when faced with the challenge of redecorating a space that’s in dire need of a spanking new look, you don’t need to splurge on an all-new set of furniture or hire an interior designer. You can easily liven it up and give it a facelift by adding a few thoughtful accessories.

 

 

Find the pieces you love and shop at Florence Home --- a quaint little store located in downtown Davao, owned by taste master Florence Ferraris - Alejandre. This professional event stylist and homemaker just recently opened her shop out of her husband’s suggestion of turning her styling obsession into a full blown business. “If you’re going through the trouble of procuring and shipping in rare finds, why not buy in bulk and sell the rest of the pieces?”

 

“It made sense,” Florence said. “In a way, I get to bring in profit out of my habit and hobby. You see, I’m on a constant search for ornaments to add in our home. I see one thing and I imagine how it would look like if matched and placed beside another thing. I’m always in the mood to mix and match. I guess that’s the stylist in me, thinking. I’m just lucky that my husband supports me in everything I do, including my interest and passion in interior design.”

 

Florence Home houses a selection of exquisite, tasteful, and culturally inspired home décor pieces. It has a wide variety of products that will give any home contemporary flair. These unique home accents are procured come from locations across the region, to ensure that every customer have the best variety for her living space.

 

“One of the objectives of this business is to share a little joy and beauty with each home. My display started with only fancy porcelain and tea cups, and later on grew into a collection of crafty ornaments made from glass, wood, brass, acrylic and ceramic. In the beginning, all items were only exclusively displayed and available online. However, due to popular demand, I was compelled to turn my office into a stand-alone shop which also doubles as my meeting venue for clients in need of my help for events and parties. The response is really overwhelming and we now ship orders to different cities. I didn’t even know that there are a lot of women in Davao who share the same obsession in collecting tea cups or decorating houses.”

 

“The art of arrangement is always stylish,” shares Florence. “To spruce up your living space, all you need is a few throw pillows, vases, frames, stoneware, china and mirrors to instantly liven it up. Despite being small, accessories are your quick makeover solution that can make a big change and turn any room into a well-designed space worthy of a magazine cover. Tea cups, saucers, pots and the like make pretty accents for all those nooks and crannies. You can even hang up china to decorate your walls and stack up your shelves with fun trinkets, wooden decorative or color coordinated prints. Mirrors can give any small space an added boost, while photo collages and frames look more interesting in variation colors and form.  There is a wide variety of artifacts to choose from, and all you need is to determine how best to incorporate these accents into your room. Dressing up your place with accessories is less expensive compared to a total room renovation or refurbishment, and can simply be changed on a whim from time to time depending on the season or theme you want to follow.”

Find out more styling tips and interior design solutions by checking out available decorative accents at Florence Home, located along Road 1 in Dona Vicenta Village. You may also check out new stocks through @florencehomeaccents on Instagram or send in orders via Viber to 0917 701 3346.
----

Story published on my newspaper column, Metro Mom.

A4, Indulge, Edge Davao, Vol. 7 Issue no. 107, 13 August 2014

 

EMBRACING THE "POSSIBILITEES"

 

The past days leading to this week have been crazy, if not, overwhelming. My husband and I are down to the last few months of planning our church wedding and I still couldn’t get my finger on a few yet significant details. Straight out of our civil wedding ceremony, which happened about a month ago, we had to jump right into planning the next big event with so much to do and so little time.

 

Having worked in the hospitality industry for almost 9 years now, I’ve gone through organizing big events such New Year parties, fashion shows, launching new brands, etc. Over the years, I have managed to stay focused on these work related affairs, and surprisingly, now that I am planning my own, I seem to have trouble putting one and two together. I guess it really is different when you’re planning your own wedding.

 

Having crossed out and solved a couple of concerns in our master list, I have now come to that point of planning the motif and style concept for my entourage. Again, with just a few months left in the calendar, I had to decide on what my pretty bridesmaids should wear and this had to be worked out in a jiffy, without having to bargain and haggle time in design studios. I’d hate to rush anyone to make magic in one swoosh just because I am already behind my schedule. With the planning in full swing, finding the perfect dresses is never easy - or cheap.

 

Thinking out of the box and dreaming of Kate Spade colors, I decided to streamline my design paradigm and look into possibilities available in retail shops. Lo and behold, I have found the perfect garment to dress my pretty friends in, sans the usual bridal accents and embellishments.

Say hello to Soul Lifestyle’s PossibiliTEES Dress - the ultimate versatile and convertible party dress that can be worn in a multitude of ways.

 

Created out of soft and billowy fabric, it can very well pass off as a bridesmaid dress. This piece comes with a dainty pouch, customized with your choice of initials or monogram. How’s that for a bridesmaid gift? 

Seeing this online was like a lightbulb moment for me. It’s a one-stop solution for any wardrobe crisis, be it for weddings or any occasion for that matter. I only have six bridesmaids yet this one dress can already style up to more than a dozen lassies! It’s like having 30 looks in one.

 

Anyone can get creative because there are in fact endless options! It's really fun to experiment with this garment and find a look you love --- from sweet to edgy, short to long, to casual or formal. The possibilities of this one product are infinite and only bound by creativity, resourcefulness, fashion intuition and imagination. My bridesmaids won’t only get to enjoy this dress one time, but also reuse it in several more celebrations and destinations.

 

I raise a toast to Mimi Vergara-Tupas, the creative genius behind Soul Lifestyle, for coming up with everyday wonders like this. Just like the Mod Audrey collection, the PossibiliTEES Dress is a style she designed herself. Stitching together tubes of fabric and bands in different lengths and drapes, she has come up with numerous designs that have now become wardrobe staples for most women, especially those who love to travel and embrace a fast-paced life. I remember Mimi sharing her design philosophy during one of those talks we had in the past. “Women love versatility and we love looking fabulous. Every day and everywhere, we have run into significant life encounters that prompt us to adapt to different situations and environments. Change is the most constant thing in this world, so why shouldn’t your fashion change with you? I want to inspire women to express their uniqueness through convertible, sustainable and functional fashion that can adapt to any mood or occasion. I believe in a functional wardrobe that can withstand all seasons and spark up your originality and creativity.”

Check out more colors and style options for the PossibiliTEES Dress and send in your orders through https://www.facebook.com/SOULLifestyle.
(photos courtesy of Soul Lifestyle)
---

Story published on my newspaper column, Metro Mom.
A1, Indulge, Edge Davao, Vol. 7 Issue no. 102, 6 August 2014.