Mommy Bliss

Or perhaps calling it "Pregnancy Bliss" would be more appropriate?

Okay, it should probably have been my first clue that something was up when I realised my clothes were getting a little tight around the chest. Admittedly, I hadn't measured myself for nearly a year by then but having just come from a trip abroad, I figured, "Oh, it's travel fat."

Right. Of course it was.

Everything in its place, continued

Note: This is an old entry reposted from my old blog called Boudoir Angel on Tumblr. I'm reposting all of these old entries because I plan to delete my old blog and consolidate everything to this one. Some posts may have its text updated and/or reformatted slightly according to the platform change.

Yesterday I posted items from my humble collection of cosmetics--and as I don't have an actual boudoir yet, it shall have to stay that way until we've made space for that somewhere in the house. ^_~

Anyway, my little make-up tool box (shown below, occupying a small corner of my bottom office shelf in front of my anti-stress DVDs)

was inspired by the organizational style of Marlena from Makeup Geek.com, who featured in several YouTube videos how she, as a professional make-up artist, stores and organizes her stash.

First Time Anti-Jitters

There have been warnings against doing too much Internet research from what I've heard about people finding their symptoms to mean worse illnesses than they actually have.

Personally, I find all this research reassuring and very helpful especially in a culture where logic can often be outweighed by kasabihan.

[Family] The tyranny of tisay beauty

Article found on 

[Family] The tyranny of tisay beauty - MANILA, Philippines - It’s okay if you’re not mestiza. Really. That is one of the most profound truths I wish to impart to my 6-year-old daughter. It may sound silly, but I’m serious.

I came across this Rappler.com article by way of Twitter, as retweeted by an acquaintance. And I completely agree with its sentiments.

Blog Maintenance #6: Insta-revise

So apparently I misunderstood portions of "Fair Use" and attribution doesn't count.

Therefore my cute little LinkWithin will be missing photo thumbnails for a little while--imagine the horror now, of having to do this for two other blogs to which my Blogger cross-posts. To fellow blogger Tony Burgess on Tumblr, this is the only truly ridiculous thing of having three different platforms, hahaha!

I want to make this blog a permanent thing and I don't want there to be any issues arising from my use of various photos I find to be symbolic of the images and thoughts I have in my head. I'd rather not deal with the possibility of being sued for having been misled into thinking all the attributions and whatnot was enough.

*sigh*

So if there are others out there who, like me, thought attributions and links back covers the non-profit use of any image, read this blogger's experience. And be even more mindful of your photo usage. I've been saying I'm a wannabe photographer, well, this wannabe will take that a little more seriously now and take more photos to replace the ones I'm about to take down!

Now really...what in the world to do with the other million and one Tumblr and Pinterest shares?

Positive Thinking

I am hardly the best advocate for this because I tend to straddle the line between pragmatism and pessimism. I find, however, that I have suddenly been thrust in the role of doing my best to be the beacon of positivity in the family.

Oh the irony. And the music.

Call for donations

The shelter animals at the Philippine Animal Welfare Society are in great need of old newspapers and old towels. Both are used as cage liners to help keep rescued cats dry, warm, and clean.

The shelter is open from Mondays to Saturdays, 10 am to 5 pm. Please visit http://paws.org.ph to view the map and directions to the shelter.

Warmest purrs of gratitude from the shelter cats!

Some clouds have a pink lining

I've been having a generally bad week. Naturally, this has done absolutely nothing for my mood regardless of hormonal levels.

Oh but this, this made my day, along with some news I received earlier in the morning that we are fervently praying for.

Sometimes the dark clouds are lined with pink rubber and a candy-sprinkled cupcake.

Everything in its place

Note: This is an old entry reposted from my old blog called Boudoir Angel on Tumblr. I'm reposting all of these old entries because I plan to delete my old blog and consolidate everything to this one. Some posts may have its text updated and/or reformatted slightly according to the platform change.

A quick view of my new make-up box and its contents.

This Lock & Lock box is actually intended to be a first aid kit but when I saw it I immediately thought "Make-up kit!"

First of all, I love that the lid is securely fastened by locks going all the way around ; typical of the structure of any Lock & Lock container.

The first aid kit has a total of seven compartments. 2/3 of the box is occupied by stacking compartments. The top bit is divided in quarters while the bottom bit is divided in half by a removable divider. The remaining 1/3 is just a tall compartment probably meant for alcohol, etc.

Below are the images of how I arranged my cosmetics inside the kit.

Fashion Fact #1: Couture

Note: This is an old entry reposted from my old blog called Boudoir Angel on Tumblr. I'm reposting all of these old entries because I plan to delete my old blog and consolidate everything to this one. Some posts may have its text updated and/or reformatted slightly according to the platform change.

I'd honestly personally assumed that "couture" was simply a fancier way of referring to fashion in its entirety (attire, styling, accessories, etc.) but apparently it's way more than that. And there are guidelines for it too.

Read more about it from Ms. Jessica Quirk via her blog, What I Wore.


Originally posted as Boudoir Angel on Tumblr, 18 January 2011

From Tony Burgess on Tumblr: Being The Black Sheep, It Takes Courage

Being The Black Sheep, It Takes Courage - Its tough being a black sheep in ones family. However if you don’t stand for something you will fall for anything. ...

I particularly like his term marching "to the beat of a different drummer" because it is true for me. There is a recognizable zeitgeist propelling most of the populace in a certain direction. And then there are those like me...like us...who just seem to think and feel differently.

Conversations #3: A back-log collection

After all that serious introspection, I thought I'd put in a little bit of a comedic break.

I've had these conversations with my husband saved to my mobile phone notes for a few months now but I kept forgetting to post them.

I hope these two exchanges will help lighten up someone's evening. Or day, depending on which timezone you're at. ^_^

Spilling

First, a short story.

After a mere one week of being newlyweds, my husband and I were immediately bombarded with the question: "So, when are you going to start having kids?"

As I mentioned before, I don't find this question offensive at all. I find it a natural progression to be honest. And as my standard response to this question I would say, "We can start trying in March--it'll still be safe to travel and I can still fit into my matron dress for my best friend's wedding."

Well then, how's this for a self-fulfilling prophecy?

Warning: behind this cut is potential too much information. If you're reading this via Tumblr, my apologies as I do not have the ability to hide things behind a cut. I solemnly swear that I tried my best to be more language sensitive for this entry.

You never realise how important it is until...

Note: This is an old entry reposted from my old blog called Boudoir Angel on Tumblr. I'm reposting all of these old entries because I plan to delete my old blog and consolidate everything to this one. Some posts may have its text updated and/or reformatted slightly according to the platform change.

I was eight when Mum took me to buy my first training bra. Later, when the further development of my breasts stopped, I became like most women who assumed the size they stopped developing at would be their size. Forever.

"What kind of HOT are you?"

Note: This is an old entry reposted from my old blog called Boudoir Angel on Tumblr. I'm reposting all of these old entries because I plan to delete my old blog and consolidate everything to this one. Some posts may have its text updated and/or reformatted slightly according to the platform change.

The January 2011 issue of Cosmopolitan Philippines featured an interesting article on look suggestions based on your personality.

Something like jumping on the bandwagon

I saw the Feedjit feed on several blogs I follow and thought it was an interesting way to check out where precisely the traffic to my blog comes from.

Just a little off-hand posting.

The Puzzle (Ring) Quest

Note: This is an old entry reposted from my old blog called Boudoir Angel on Tumblr. I'm reposting all of these old entries because I plan to delete my old blog and consolidate everything to this one. Some posts may have its text updated and/or reformatted slightly according to the platform change.

I am normally very good at crediting photos to owners or to the web source. Unfortunately, these have been in my harddrive for so long and without being renamed to indicate the source. If you are the owner of these images or know where they come from, please let me know.

When my husband and I were planning our wedding, one of the things I really wanted was to have everything reflect our combined personalities, however strange our ideas may sometimes seem. That alone drove me to go on a quest to find the most perfect components to complete the ceremony, among the most important being the physical symbol of our union: the ring.

Fun with Feathers #2

Note: This is an old entry reposted from my old blog called Boudoir Angel on Tumblr. I'm reposting all of these old entries because I plan to delete my old blog and consolidate everything to this one. Some posts may have its text updated and/or reformatted slightly according to the platform change.

These plumes from Genevieve Gozum were my first feather headbands.

Fence-sitting

On the same vein as unclear thinking, I have been, several times over, accused of having no opinion not just for my common practice of neglecting to express it, but also for the fact that I will readily bat for either team provided I have sufficient knowledge and information for the defence.

Tips and Tricks #1: Shelf Life--To keep or not to keep?

Note: This is an old entry reposted from my old blog called Boudoir Angel on Tumblr. I'm reposting all of these old entries because I plan to delete my old blog and consolidate everything to this one. Some posts may have its text updated and/or reformatted slightly according to the platform change.

I study the strangest things in my down time and amongst the things I read about over Christmas 2010 was the lifespan of cosmetics.

I'll be honest and say that I didn't even know there was such a consideration as the lifespan of cosmetics. Then again, I suppose that one must assume that most, if not all, consumable products have a corresponding shelf life based on:

1. its ingredients
2. its purpose
3. contaminants introduced during use
4. external conditions affected by storage

IHeart Organizing: IHeart: DIY Doggie At Home Medical Kit

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IHeart Organizing: IHeart: DIY Doggie At Home Medical Kit: Today I am excited to welcome Serena Faber Nelson, author of the incredibly adorable blog, " Pretty Fluffy ". Because such a large perc...

We have so many pets I'm surprised I didn't think to do this sooner, especially since my aunt and I are probably the only ones in the family who are equipped to deal with pet emergencies.

One of the tasks on my to-do list is to clear up the old pet things which I'm sure have already expired, and make room for better pet items storage.

The Face Shop Baked Shimmer

Note: This is an old entry reposted from my old blog called Boudoir Angel on Tumblr. I'm reposting all of these old entries because I plan to delete my old blog and consolidate everything to this one. Some posts may have its text updated and/or reformatted slightly according to the platform change.

I have to admit that Christmas 2010 was quite the cosmetic spree for me as several of the brands imported from Korea went on sale during the holidays. This particular entry is my take on The Face Shop Baked Shimmer All-Over Illuminator.

Given my skin tone, my colouring happened to favour the #03 Apricot Nuance palette.

If memory serves, there are three other shimmer brick palettes. The #01 highlighter is precisely that: pastel-shaded highlight colours that, I would venture to guess, would work best with much lighter-skinned individuals. The #02 is a set of pink shades that I can best describe as "rose" shades, ranging from deep pink to an almost white pink which I think would look good with most warm skin tones. The #04 is a set of gold shades that I believe would also look fabulous on those with lighter skin tones.

Thinking unclearly

I just realised I'm not the most opinionated person in the world.

Okay, this would probably fall under the category of misnomers or something.

Work Pride

There is nothing wrong in having it, only in having excessive amounts of it.

I bring this up because I am reminded, randomly, of the time when even servants--y'know, usually of a non-Caucasian ethnicity and often just barely speaking their master's language--took great pride in their work. Those who watch Downton Abbey may notice this of the servants--this time of similar ethnicity but often of lower educational and social background--in the series.

(Please note that I haven't actually watched full episodes of Downton Abbey, I am merely familiar with the period.)

Because I now have an iPhone...

...I now also have Instagram.

I  still use the handle "thecareerhousewife" and all my July Photo-A-Day photos will be posted there. :D

My first two photos are here (Self-Portrait, 1 July) and here (Busy, 2 July).

IHeart Organizing: Reader Space: Magnetic Meal Planning!

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IHeart Organizing: Reader Space: Magnetic Meal Planning!: Although I recently posted about my meal planning process here , I couldn't resist sharing another super incredible and fun way to go about ...

A bit of a ways back I posted first about meal planning, and then the awesome magnetic chalk board another reader of IHeart Organizing made.

I love nurturing that domestic part of me. As I've said before, there is a reason why I chose "Career Housewife" as my handle. In local lingo, to "make a career" out of something [for fellow Filos, that would be variants of the term kinarir/kinareer] means to take anything seriously enough to really study and develop skills that would aid in the said activity.

Food is a huge deal for my family, not just because of the food itself but because meal times, particularly dinners and weekends, are the only times we are all seated at the table together. It is, therefore, very important for us to have good food at the table, special dietary considerations plus likes and dislikes included.

I do my planning weekly. In fact, I still have planning to do beginning our meals for tomorrow, haha! We only shop for groceries twice a month, meats once a week, so planning has to be done ahead of time, with some allowances for changes depending on sudden cravings or surprise take home food. I'll probably need to adjust this magnetic meal planning board quite a great deal to suit our needs but I definitely think it's better than my current method of having to print out weekly  plans. The board wastes no paper or ink, and I can easily include a list of things that need defrosting and whatnot.

I'm learning so much from people who've been doing it longer than I have. I love it!

Wish Fulfillment Weekend

Okay. Guess which girlie managed to rub a magical lamp and got two of her wishes fulfilled on succeeding days this weekend?

OH YEAH.

Fun with Feathers #1

Note: This is an old entry reposted from my old blog called Boudoir Angel on Tumblr. I'm reposting all of these old entries because I plan to delete my old blog and consolidate everything to this one. Some posts may have its text updated and/or reformatted slightly according to the platform change.

A little backlog entry reflecting my jumping on the feather bandwagon. Because feathers look so formal I've rarely used my feather headbands but I adore them.

This is actually my most casual feather headband, photos taken on my birthday in 2010.

Make-up was very minimal: just Max Factor's False Lash Effect, and The Face Shop's PP403 lipstick. Again, that is not powder blush on my cheeks: it was just hot.

Originally posted as Boudoir Angel on Tumblr, 11 January 2011

Palettes Wish List

Note: This is an old entry reposted from my old blog called Boudoir Angel on Tumblr. I'm reposting all of these old entries because I plan to delete my old blog and consolidate everything to this one. Some posts may have its text updated and/or reformatted slightly according to the platform change.

Neutrals

Colour

Blushes

These palettes are actually different from the original set I posted on Tumblr but I could no longer find my original selections. Some colours have also gone missing from the list, possibly from being unavailable at the time I tried to redo the palettes.

They're still pretty anyway.


Originally posted as Boudoir Angel on Tumblr, 16 June 2010