Of Saving and Bags

I came across this brilliant idea of saving weekly for 52 weeks and topping up the amount every week from Frugal Honey. In her case she didn't immediately start the "challenge" due to lack of right motivation, I on the other hand have a few items on my list that I would like to buy hehe. Like her, I'm going with P10 top-ups and by the end of the 52 weeks I will have P13,780. I'm already on my 8th week so 46 weeks to go!

As for my reward at the end of the 52 weeks, I plan to buy a leather bag. See, my fascination with leather bags started with reading all this blogs about designer bags (coincidentally, you can read a very interesting article also from Frugal Honey on buying designer bags as investments). And then some of my friends are so into buying designer bags. Now, I don't have the means to buy these expensive bags, I can only dream. But then I thought, what I really wanted was to have a good leather bag that will last for years, right. So why not buy a locally crafted leather bag instead of dreaming about imported designer bags (which they say is that expensive because they're handmade or something). And then I tried researching on local leather goods that will not hurt my wallet. Here's a rundown of the locally available leather bags that I've discovered:

Cuzo

I really liked their Celine large tote when I saw it on Leona Panutat's (of L'Indochine) tumblr account.

It's affordable at P3,950 but when I saw the bag in person (they have a few bags in stock in select Black Shop stores), I didn't quite like what I saw.

Sinude

This brand I first found on Facebook when I searched "leather bags in Manila". But I didn't find any style that I was quite drawn in. So I just kept them on my list.

Tweetie de Leon for Ava

I love the orange and navy combo and then pink and orange combo. They're currently on sale!

Katre

 I discovered this brand when Liz Lanuzo (of Project Vanity) posted a photo of Mayfair on her IG feed.

And from there I fell in love with almost all of their pieces.

City 2.0

Mayfair

Piccadilly

Camden

Bags by Rubber Tree

This is another IG find, this time from Anna. I love how soft their totes look. If you can tell, I'm more inclined to like tote bags.

Can you tell which bags I like the best? I love Katre. So I will probably choose from their different styles. I actually asked hubby to gift me with the tote hahaha. So that I can buy the Piccadilly from my savings but I've seen some photos of the bag and looks like a big bag for me. Might probably get the Mayfair instead and maybe a Camden and a Sloane wallet if I can have it hahaha. But I also really like the color combination of the bags from Tweetie De Leon's collection. So yeah, I can't wait for the 52 weeks to be over so that I can buy these babies.

Coco Chicka Multiway Mormal Dress

One of the prizes I got from Mikka is a Coco Chicka multiway dress, specifically the Multiway Mormal dress.     I used the dress for the last wedding I attended. The dress came with a manual but I still had a hard time visualizing how the dress will turn out when worn. Coco Chicka's Multiply site isn't not much of a help either since they only posted the "finished" looks for each dresses. I wish they'd post a video tutorial on how to do every single look for each multiway dress. I did my own research and good thing, I found this video on Youtube. In case you want to buy yourself a multiway dress, this video is very helpful.



Although the one that I have falls below the knee (shin area actually) and the Coco Chica dress actually leaves a big gaping portion in the middle (check out the Chicify link), I was able to cover up my tummy and cleavage area with a few turn of the dress. I have to say thank you to my dear hubby for helping me dress up for the wedding. And that I love my breastfeeding boobies because they made this look dress good on me hahaha with the plunging neckline and all!

An almost full body shot of the dress

This is how my dress looks from the back. 

Tip by the way if you want to do the other styles for this dress, buy those silicon bras that you just stick onto your boobs. I have one but since they were old (used them for my wedding), the silicon is tearing apart. Or maybe because my boobs are now bigger hahaha! The styles usually are backless. My hubby had a hard time covering up my bra at the back. Good thing I had some extra fabric magic tape that we used to keep the back part of the dress in place and covered my bra. In that photo to your left, you can still see the magic tape. We had to redo the dress again. Unfortunately, when I went to the bathroom the "wrapping" of the dress got askewed and my bra kept popping at the back. Good thing I went on a bathroom break at the latter part of the night. Although, some still noticed it. My officemates kept pulling up my back hahaha! I didn't want to go back to the bathroom and fix everything because it was photo and bye-bye time already with the bride and groom.

Here's a full body shot. Sorry about the face, I'm a bit sleepy na here kaya singkit na. Tanders!

Photocraft

So you already know I'm quite addicted to these groupon sites where I bought a pass to Gymboree, an overnight stay in Tagaytay in this hotel and another one with friends (will blog soon), some photobooks (which I also have to blog about), some massages for me and Joema, and then this one where I had a photo of Miya converted into a canvas.

Remember the photoshoot we had with my friend? We actually had to re-do the photoshoot because the size of the photos just won't do plus my friend's not that satisfied with the photos hehe. Your photo should atleast be 3MB to be converted to canvas.  I sent the photo via email on the 18th of January, and after a week they emailed me back to complete an order completion form and sign-off on the printed canvas. They basically sent me back the photo showing me how the edges will turn out in the canvas, how the photo will be placed in the canvas. They have a 14-day completion turn-around time so by 8 February, they emailed me to let me know that the canvas is already done. So glad they deliver within Ortigas Center and the next day the canvas was in my office ready to take home to my daughter. Unfortunately, I think I had to commute that day so I took the canvas home the following day, hence the 10 Feb date-stamp on the photos.

The little girl opening the package

Tadaaaa!

I can't show you the canvas hanging on our walls because we haven't hung it yet. It still like that, wrapped in bubble wrap hahaha. Hay, I can't wait to get our permanent home so that we can decorate as we want. I want to hang this in Miya's own room.

By the way, in case you're interested here are the contact details of Photocraft.

Photocraft Shop
14F Net Cute Center, 3rd Ave cor 30th St. Bonifacio Global City
Tel 585 7265
Mobile 09175016614
Email myphoto@photocraftshop.com
Web www.photocraftshop.com

Day 17 of 30 (x2)

8-Day Pass to Gymboree

Have I ever told you I'm addicted to these groupon sites?? First there was Ensogo, now Deal Grocer! I bought this 8-day pass to Gymboree on DealGrocer. Actually, this wouldn't have been the first voucher I bought from them. I would have bought a one-year membership on Gymboree but alas, I was too slow to purchase the voucher. By the time, I decided I will buy the voucher, they were all sold out. Anyways, I got this voucher in December. It's about to expire by the end of January so I finally took the time to get off work early and bring Miya there on the 10th of January for her first day.

It was amazing for her and doubly amazing for me seeing how she was stomping about the play area, how fascinated she was with everything around her. She walked by her own every single day she was in Gymboree. And she never did that at home because we don't have enough space she can walk around in. That's why I'm really really happy with this voucher and Gymboree. We have hundreds of photos and a few videos of her 7 days there including her two sampler classes - we availed the Music class and Play class. But let me share some photos with you.

Walking around the play gym

Cruising with the help of that foamy cylinder

I'm happy here, Mommy!

She doesn't want any help while walking

Going through the barrel

More photos after the jump.

AVA + googoo&gaga

You would think my first purchase from AVA would be a designer bag or designer shoes...but no, my first purchase was for the little girl.

Chubby little hand excited to open the bag

Colors peeking through the wrapping paper

Sweet googoo&gaga dresses for my baby

The dresses are still big for her but I think in a couple of months, she'll fit into them. The size of these is medium. These will be Miya's 3rd and 4th googoo&gaga purchase. The first one was a onesie and a lap tee but she hasn't worn the tee yet. Bought the onesie for 12-18month size but she was able to wear it by 6months. The lap tee size I got was 2T and it's still big for her. Here she is featured in the googoo&gaga site a few months ago.

Nuat Thai: Ensogo Voucher

Remember I've been buying those Ensogo vouchers? The first ones I bought were for a massage at Nuat Thai. I've read good reviews for this massage place so I bought a pair for me and Joema. The first vouchers they sold can be used at any Nuat Thai branch so we went to the one in Pearl Drive (didn't know that the one in Mandaluyong was just our neighbor). The voucher was for a P250 body massage so we upgraded to a Swedish massage for me and Thai massage for Joema and just added P200 total. The next set of vouchers I bought were only for the branch in Mandaluyong so we went there two times (Oh yeah, bought many vouchers for these massages). Both branches were simple and neat. No frills massage place. Here are some photos from the Mandaluyong Branch.

Reception area

Door leading to the massage area

Your feet will be washed first before your massage

They use that peppermint scrub to wash your feet

Massage tables are behind those curtains. 

Ensogo

I was a bit curious when I started reading about these sites that are supposedly "selling" vouchers online. I saw deals that are more than 50% off so I thought there msut be a catch. I found a friend who already had experienced buying these vouchers and she vouched (yes, the pun is intended hehehe) that these were legit. So when I saw this, I had to buy those vouchers.

P499 per person per night accommodation in Bora!

It was easy breezy by the way, I only had to click buy, input all the necessary details and I was able to purchase my first vouchers. I paid them via Paypal but you can also pay by credit card, bank deposits or payment directly to Ensogo office. I'm pretty sure the other groupon deal sites are as easy as this one. So I hope I won't break the bank hehehe. I really just want to take opportunity of these great deals for our vacations.

We're still waiting for the airline carriers to have their promos before we use our vouchers. But once there's a seat sale, we're going to Boracay baby!

SaYa Carrier

I was inspired to babywear Miya from the mommy blogs that I’ve read. Plus we didn’t buy a stroller so I was very much eager to buy one. (Although a set of friends gave us a stroller as a gift, and a Tita lent us one more) I was more determined to buy a sling after reading Dr. Sears' The Baby Book because he encouraged babywearing. I actually had the SaYa carrier in my wishlist in all the baby showers thrown for me. Unfortunately, because of time constraint (what with ordering it online and the delivery time) no one gave me the carrier. But that was okay. I was finally able to buy the sling when Miya was a few weeks old bought my SaYa carrier from fabnaima. I got the Versatekk blend size 0 color brown from Mama.Baby.Love. – they accept payments via Paypal (yey!) I actually got the wrong size when I ordered it. Good thing Jenny was very patient with me . I took photos of the carrier and sent it to her, and she said that I did got a small size so she asked me to send it back and she sent me a new one. The next mornign after I got it, I tried it on Miya and she instantly fell asleep in it. At home, she falls asleep almost every time I put her in her carrier. The carrier was a life saver when she became too heavy for my arms and wanted to be rocked to sleep. We didn’t have a stroller so whenever we go out, I wear Miya. I stopped wearing her when it became to hot for her to be there. Never had the chance to take a decent photo of her and me and the carrier until last May when we went out with friends.








Everyone who saw her was amused. She was so cute – just her little head with chubby cheeks. Even our friends wanted one not for their baby but for themselves hehe. She looked so comfy inside it. Her own little cocoon.

Moses Basket

Remember my post about the baby shower thrown by my friends where they invited Joema to join us? Well, Joema's gift the Moses basket arrived the following week, if I remember correctly. Anyway, Miya has been using it since we came home from the hospital. We place her there when we're downstairs, instead of bringing down the crib everytime we go down. That was really the purpose I intended for it. I wanted a bassinet for downstairs where we can place our baby. We also bring the basket when we go to our families or friends since we don't have a carrier. Although we only place her there once we get to the place and not while in transit in the car.

3-day-old Miya in her basket

1 month old Miya


1 month and 2 weeks

The problem is in a few weeks time (hopefully months), Miya will be outgrowing the basket. I wonder where we'll place her by then. Hopefully she'll be big enough then to be able to sit on her baby chair or maybe we can use the stroller our friends gave her (for when she wants to lie down).

Ylla Shoes

I've been meaning to buy flat shoes because I can't go on for long hours in heels anymore and I'm afraid I might fall off my face if I .. it. But since I can't go to the mall for long hours and actually pick out shoes, I went off searching the internet. My problem with most Multiply sellers, how can you call yourselves online sellers when the only payment method you accept is deposit at your bank account. How can I buy something online when I need to still go out, go to the bank, and pay?!?!?! So I had to search, search and search. Finally, I found Ylla shoes. The styles are oh so cute -and they only sell flat shoes! And best of all they accept Paypal payments - although they charge 4% additional for it. I first ordered their Mary Jane flats but they're out of stock.

So I ordered these instead...

*Photos from Ylla's website.

They're not as cute as the Mary Jane's but still cute!

The shoes don't come in a box but in a cute eco-friendly pouch. When I first tried them on, I had a hard time putting the shoes on. I thought my feet already started swelling because I had to really open the shoes up and put my foot in.So I texted Kat of Ylla and she told me that the shoes will eventually get a bit loose over time because the padding inside the soles are a bit thick for extra comfort. She advised me to fold the back part forwards so that it'll get softer.

Wore them to work the next day, but unfortunately they hurt my feet, specifically the heel part where the back part of the shoes touches the back of my feet. Although I still think I got the wrong size, I'm usually a size 5 so that's what I ordered. So I suggest if you want to order from them, get one size bigger than your usual. It's not really that my feet are swelling because my old size 5 shoes I can still wear them. And I actually recently bought new flats (from SM department store - yes I did went anyways but only for a few minutes) in size 5. I haven't worn my Ylla shoes again but I will wear them again (because they are cute!). I think they just hurt my feet because they're new and I needed to break them in first.

I was 20 weeks and 6 days along in my pregnancy when I wore my Ylla shoes.

Ukay Manila's Summer Giveaway

Don't you love contests? My favorite online vintage store, Ukay Manila, is giving away not one, not two but three dresses as their last hurrah for summer. Not only that they are also giving away a free Montague Jeunesse Chocolate Masque. Head on over to their site for the contest mechanics. I hope I win this!!!!

If I win this dress, I'm going to wear it to my friend's wedding this coming June. *fingers crossed* And I'm sure I'll be glowing because I would have used the facial mask by then heehee.

The Dreamerie

Bought another dress from another vintage online shop – The Dreamerie. This is actually by Riz, whose blog I've started reading. Got this nice dress.



When I got the package it had this little sweet sticker.



After this purchase, I started thinking how I could do this too - set up an online shop. I just have to really think about what to sell. I can buy and sell clothes too. But I'm thinking if I can do something I did with my own hands. I wish I'd enrolled in that polymer clay workshop they offered in the office. I'm also thinking of enrolling in basic pattern making and basic sewing, but that's really just so I could sew my own clothes ahahaha!

Suki Club

Got this from my inbox this morning.

Yey! I get to have 10% discount for every purchase from Ukay Manila! Know more about this from Ukay Manila.

My Print is Here!

Are you excited to see what I bought from Etsy? Here it is!

It's called Terrarium. I know, I know it's not even in the list I was considering to buy. Call me chicken but I'm a bit wary shelling out money in things I haven't tried before. So I went into the Sale items of The Black Apple and saw that print. And I was torn between this and the other prints that I posted before. So I made the husband decide - without telling him about the prices of course. And he chose this one! And I'm so happy with it! The print finally came yesterday. It was packed in this very cute envelope.



With this...aaawww isn't that cute!



Here's a photo of the print still in plastic. I don't want to take it out of the cover coz I still don't have a frame for it. I know that the site has the measurement of the print on it but I was still a bit surprised that it was bigger than what I imagined it to be.



Then these came with the package. The one on the top is I think a bookmark, and then the other two shows the contact details of the seller at the back.



Now I can't wait to buy that Branch Bed print! Oh I wish it will be included in the Sale bin hehe.

First photo from The Black Apple. Blurry photos courtesy of my phone cam.

In The Fishbowl

Online shopping is addicting! After a few purchases from Ukay Manila and my first purchase from Etsy (although I am still waiting for my print to arrive – I will blog about it then), I bought this dress from In The Fishbowl.



Like Ukay Manila, they sell ukay-ukay items. They upload weekly new items and then you have to bid for whatever items you want. Bidding starts at 9pm every Monday. But since I still don't have internet access at home, I haven't participated in the bidding once the new items are uploaded. I made a bid on this dress a few days after it was uploaded. And yey no one else made a bid so I got it for the starting bid price!

For now, I am done buying online because my Paypal account is down to its few dollars. Let me save some more before I purchase online again.

Etsy

I first heard of Etsy from Anna. And then started really looking at things sold there when she mentioned she bought something from the site. It's a treasure chest really! Everything is hand made and everything seems to be just oh so cute!

Let me share with you some of the things that I am really considering buying.

From The Black Apple - I actually first chanced upon the owner's personal blog (which is up on my blogroll) when I was bloghopping before I went to her Etsy shop. I love love love love her prints.

Fronds and Flora Print set

Rock and Roll Print set
Branch Bed Print

From Mia Beads - for the longest time I wanted to buy a locket for myself so I started searching for lockets on Etsy. And lockets from this shop are just so adorabe, looks so antique as if it's been passed on for several generations in the family hehe.

Strawberry Fields locket necklace

Tea Rose locket necklace

Which do you think should be my first Etsy purchase?

*All photos from the shops in Etsy. Please click on the links to get the full description of each item.