Leap day update....

And so it's leap day and I don't have much accomplishment  except for my 3rd day of work out in the gym resulting to a severe body ache...I just wanna share an update regarding our DIY pocket planner.Come on the next leap day will  happen after 4 years again so  why not post anything...LOL..

Alan and I decided to change our planner cover cause we noticed that the first one we chose is kind of boring, I mean too simple....So we came up to this!

for the men's planner cover

It's Alan's choice and I really love the gentleman-like feel of this. Good job Mahal!

for the women's planner cover

Alan asked me to choose between a stiletto or  a dress for the cover and yes I chose  the shoes :D 

There you go! At the moment we set this DIY project aside for awhile, since i still can't find the perfect materials to use... I found where to buy the kraft paper already but the eyelets and eyelet setter are giving me hard time....I don't know where are they hidden...Whew! I am now looking for an alternative... I'm excited to see the finish product. :D

Bride-xcercise

My #1 goal before our big day is to lose weight! Really! Who wouldn't what to feel sexy on her wedding day? :D Wedding gown looks more stunning if your figure is like a coca cola bottle isn't it? : D oh yeah, I wish!

And so I enrolled yesterday with my BFF Odeth in a gym here, like one block away from our house (good thing close) and  then we started  today at 6 o'clock in the morning for our first session. Yey! Bride-xercise time!

What I love about the gym is the ambiance (it looks cozy with its landscape outside plus a very nice view of the bay inside) and the instructor (he's friendly and approachable, even if it's only our first session).With this start I will just think of my wedding gown and I believe I can do it, haha. I am giving myself  60 days to sexy, yes call it torture but I want to achieve it before meeting my future designer (help!!).It seems so desperate but to be honest I am really desperate and I'm forcing myself to do this. I can't believe after 4 months of bumming I gained like 10 kilos! OMG... The culprit is my granny's cooking I bet! LOL

On a serious note I am not writing this just for me but to encourage fellow brides too! Your body may quiver, anticipating things like sweat and hard work whenever we think of exercise but I guess it's better to think of the opposite effect of it mentally, let's call it stressercise.

According to “Take time for you” exercise releases endorphins, which induce the feelings of well-being and relaxation. Endorphins have been said to be actually decrease stress and pain, as well as increase memory and brain power. By making exercise a normal part of our weekly routine, our endorphins continue to flow creating a healthy cycle for our body. This in turn keeps us feeling energized and happy all day long. So why not steal some of your time to do it too? 

Well I'm not telling you to enroll in the gym too like I did. I just figured out that this is the type of exercise that will works the best for me but you could exercise only by doing sit ups, while waiting your coffee to brew; jump a rope; ride a bike; take stairs instead of elevator or go out dancing with friends, and many more simple moves like that.

Come on!let’s do some bride-xercise not only to be physically sexy on our big day but also allowing ourselves to have a break from stress and tension of our wedding preps. :D

and this is my best buddy today :D

 I almost faint when I saw my weight! OMG! I guess the scale is broken LOL

DIY: Monogram

I stumbled upon http://www.weddingchicks.com/  making our DIY  custom monogram....

And here what I made :D

This might fit  since we met onboard the ship...

but I love this Silhouette thingy

 This one is what we love most for it's simple design with our name on it! Alan preferred it than those with only initials :D

For now we would like to used the last one as our official monogram...yes,for now!LOL  if we don't change our mind :P

DIY: customized wedding ring holder

I wanted to have some personal touch on our big day so I decided to do some DIY projects and since I don’t want to have a typical pillow to hold our wedding rings (I wanted something unique which will match our Mexican beach theme) so I decided to include this. I found a lot of materials that I can recycle and can be use here (come on we are earth/budget friendly) ;). I am so happy and excited to share it with you! :D

Materials I’ve used:

Old sewing box – I just found this clutter when I was cleaning our house, my lil bro used this before as his “teks” cards container :D

Styrofoam – I’ve got from my sister’s 18^th birthday banner

2 bronze swan- an old house display

Silver/gray paint – I’ve bought for P50.00 in the nearest hardware

1 pack of sea shells- I’ve bought from Pandayan Bookstore P53.00

1 pack small pebbles- I’ve bought in Pandayan too P19.00

Old fabrics
Sand paper

Glue gun/3 glue stick- P3.00/stick

Clear glue- P25.00

Paint brush (small) P6.00

Cutter- P12.00

Kraft paper, ruler, scissors, board, Oslo paper –I gathered only from the house

Colored sand- left over from my DIY matches

Total cost: P174.00/ $3.87

How I made it:

•           I asked our neighbor to cut the wooden sewing box for me. I cleaned it up and paint the outer part with a silver/gray paint and then make it dry, set aside.

i painted it with gray-ish /silver because we are having yellow gold rings.I don't want to have it the same color, it will be easier to see the rings with this color i guess :D

•            Painted the 2 bronze swans with the grayish/silver paint too and let it dry.

•        I cut the styrofoam into 3 different parts with the same width of the box to serve as filler. I covered it with old jeans (fabric) and set it aside.

•          After drying the paint of the box I inserted my styro fillers inside the box.

there are different kinds of sea shells there in the bookstore, I just find it cuter :P

•            Using glue gun I glued the sea shells all over the outer part of the box.

i love the texture :)

•           I put some clear glue in the open spaces in between the shells and pour orange colored sand to have a more beach-y texture, set it aside while waiting to dry.
•          While waiting I cut the scrap of woods to be use as sign and covered it with kraft paper.

I love this! I put the "I do" thing to support the swans from falling. (in case).
I just put "I DO" for a kulit factor hehe 

•            I asked my neighbor to do the lettering for the signs because I doubt I have talent to do that. LOL!
•           When the signs are already painted I inserted them in between the styrofoams, and I glued it in a fix position.
•          I put an ample amount of glue on top of the styro foams and glued   the small pebbles all over, let it dry.

I put the small pebbles under the colored sand so in case the sand don't stick that much, it will retain it's beach-y feel.

•        Put more clear glue on top of the pebbles and sprinkled blue colored sand.

for the meantime I used my wedding and e-ring here :D

•           Finally I put the two swans facing each other and let their neck hold the rings.

i love the shadows 

and  the heart shaped formation of the swan's beaks <3

There you go! My very own version of wedding ring(s) holder :D I  just love the feeling when you accomplished something that is beautiful to your eyes!


-Anna-

2013 Planner as giveaway

Anna bought some cute floral pens in the Philippines that we will use as one of our wedding favors. We don't want those typical display favors for our wedding so we are thinking of something else that will match the pen. At first Anna was thinking of customized post it or note pad but when she checked it's kind of too expensive for that.Good thing we remembered her pocket planner, and she asked me if we can DIY. I knew I can do it so I volunteered to do the lay out and do my very best! 

It took me some hours and stretched my imagination to make it.With the combined ideas of my wifey and I, here is the result :

I based my design to the monthly occasions related to us,our holidays here in Mexico and there in the Philippines...

It's nice noh?  I hope you liked it!

Now it is Anna's turn to print it and do the mass production. She is planning to print it in kraft paper, same like the planner that she is using

We believed it is a great idea specially because our wedding is  scheduled in the end of the year and we are sure that the pen and the planner will be useful for our guests for the coming new year.


Ps. I made two different cover, one for the ladies and one for the gentlemen. For the pens we are on search for a nice pen design for men too. Don't you think it's lovely?Because we just love it! :D


-Alan-

Granny’s, Mom’s and My wedding....

Have you ever been curious about how does your parent’s or granny’s wedding looks like? I mean everything! What is the flow? How much is their budget? Who pay? Etc…. Because recently it pops in my head and got the chance to got some answers.

Last Sunday evening after attending the Holy Mass we came home without current in our street, and then we learned that there’s a big problem with the electrical post's transformer. It’s been a couple of hours and still no electricity. What will we gonna do? Too early to bed but no lights, no sounds, no internet! Everybody is in the living room, waiting…So this is it! I stole this chance to do a mini panel interview with my Mom and my Grandma (mom’s side who is living with us)... To make it easier for you to see the difference of each generation I put it on a table.

  

Here you go!

Questions	Answers: Granny’s	Mom’s	Mine
	Wedding Information
·         When is your Anniversary? ·        How old are you then?	01- 21- 1950 19	06- 02-1984 26	08- 6-2011 * 26
·         What’s the reason? ·         Are you happy? ·         Type of wedding? ·         How much you spent? Budget ·         Motif ·         Theme	They just feel it’s the time. Of course Church P2,000. None None	Preggy: D Of course Church P 25,000 None None	We just feel it too. Mucho Civil*/Church PXXX,XXX Tangerine Tango Mexican Beach
	Suppliers
·         Where is your reception? ·         Who paid the food or who is your caterer? ·          Do you have photo/video? ·         Who made your gown? ·         Do you have wedding cake? ·         Do you have lights and sounds? ·         What is your bouquet? ·         Do you have HMUA? ·         Do you have bridal car? What kind? ·         What kind of wedding ring you have? ·         How many Principal Sponsors you have? ·         How many guests you have? ·         Do you have invitations? ·         Do you have wedding favors? ·         Do you have honeymoon? Where	Residence  Lolo’s side None Local designer None Yes(Combo) Azucena (given to me) Yes, friend Yes, pledged White van Plain gold rings 1 pair All relatives None/via mouth None No, house only	Function Hall Dad’s side Photo only Local designer Yes, pledged Yes(venue) Assorted flowers Yes Yes, pledged Red car Gold rings w/diamonds 2 pairs All relatives Yes None No, house only	Beach Resort  Us Yes/Both (on search) (on search) Yes (on search) (on search) (on search) Gold ring w/diamonds No final count yet 150 +/- Yes Yes Yes,undecided yet
Legend: Based on our First/Civil Wedding  * Note: My Grandpa died in 1988,  only then he and Lola sepearated. Same with my Mom and Dad,  Daddy died in 1999  and that's the time they have been apart.

The electricity finally came back like an hour after my interview with them. I enjoyed asking my Mom and my Grandma about their wedding.I must say it's a nice way to get to know them more! I was interviewing them in front of my sibs,and we are all curious of  what will be their answers in each question.I was surprised  when I knew that my Mom don't have any idea how her parents wedding details was, until I've asked Grandma.She said she never ask ever since, so it's sort of a discovery for her too :D I will visit my other grandma (dad's side) soon and will try to ask hers too! :D 

After comparing all the differences of each generation, I just realized how much it changed. It’s nice to know that no matter how simple their wedding was  most of them really  last long,despite the fact that most of them tied the knot at very young age. Unfortunately nowadays there are more numbers of separated/divorced/annulled couples. Funny it is cause some of them even spent thousands or millions of money just to have an extravagant wedding but ended up to a failed marriage. Don't get me wrong, now at HD age i love the idea of having those adds on from traditional/simple wedding i.e. motif,theme,favors,prenup/postnup ,wedding coordinator,photobooth, fireworks,etc. that makes it more fun and cool to celebrate a wedding and I am not saying that it is not possible for today’s couple to last forever, it is just maybe because of the population, the latest trends, more liberated world, media  and forgotten tradition really affects marriage now. I still believed in love and I hope and praying that the Lord God will guide me and Alan to make ours to last for a lifetime no matter how much trials facing ahead of us.Wedding is just the tip of the iceberg of our our marriage, we just have to realize that it's not about who made your gown, how tall is your cake, how big is the diamond in your ring, or how popular your suppliers are, it is all about how you are happy and thankful for each day waking up in the morning, and the first person you see and brightens up your day is the one you love. 

PS. If you have time try to ask your mom or grannies too. It's cool! :D

Something gold for "Something Old"

Who wouldn’t love to have a some thing that is old for your wedding when you knew it's one of those memorabilias your parents used on their own Big day? Because for me, I love the idea of  having at least one.

Over the weekend  I was telling my Mom about the “something, something thing tradition” which is not of her knowledge at all, so I explained to her what is the meaning of each something….blah blah and of course I’ve asked her already  of what  she think is the best thing that I can  use for our “something old”, well because it’s new to her she actually don’t have idea, though she  offered me some old  jewelries and accessories that maybe I can use but none of them is my type..I don’t think those kinds will match our Mexican beach theme so she dig up her old boxes (“baul”) just to show me their wedding arrhae and cord  and guess what? Finally I found what will be our something old ha-ha….I was drooling over their wedding cord! I guess 27 years is old enough no? Just like my age! Hmmm I mean six months older than me. You want to see what I mean? See yourself :)

Cool right? I don’t really know if any of you already saw a wedding cord like this but for me this is new! :D I love it because it is so unique! (for me). Mom saw it once from a friend's wedding and from there they’ve got the idea.

It’s made of 80 pieces of 1979-1981 10 centavo coins. How much in total? You do the Math! :D My parents asked one local jewelry shop here in Mindoro to make it customize for them, they just provided the coins and paid them like P500 for the service. For me it is kind of pricey for a cord ha!   But in all fairness to my parents they made it a bit pricey for me to use! LOL. What can I say? The shop just made it perfect!  They made a golden cord (gold plated)... Bongga! Something gold for something old ^_^

My mom told me to just change the heart detail in the middle cause she wanted to keep it as her remembrance, so I did! ( it’s not our names that are written in there anyway). I am planning to make it as one of my DIY projects. I am just still in search for the detail I wanted to use because I am planning to change the heart thing to make it a little bit different with the one my parents have... I just can’t wait to do it and for sure I will keep you updated as soon as I’m finish with this! Excited much!

DIY: customized wedding matches

To make our wedding more detailed I wanted to have a customize matches for lighting up our candles, so to save (the normal prize of it is ranging from P 80-100 in bridal shops) I decided to do it myself. I gathered some recyclable materials in the house that I can used to make my DIY projects. I am just glad I found something that I can use here to fit  our Mexican beach theme. Here’s how I made them effortless, as simple as 1, 2, 3. :D

Materials I’ve used:

2 matches – I asked my lil bro to buy it in the neighborhood store.   P2.50 each

Colored sand – I asked my lil sister to buy it (orange and blue) in Pandayan bookstore in Rob.

                                Orange =P11/pack           Blue=P10/pack

Orange elastic bands- I took it from my niece hair accessories (box).

Glue, glue gun, glue stick – We already have it in the house. (good thing)

Dolphin shaped beads- I’ve got it from my old broken necklace.

TOTAL cost : P26.00/US$0.55

How to:

1.       I tied 6-8 sticks of matches using elastic band and set it aside.

2.       I took out  the outer part of the match boxes, put some glue all over the top and pour ample amount of blue sand. I set it aside for 20 minutes to dry.

3.        I did the same thing to the other side of the matches after drying the first side.  I put a little bit of glue in the lower part of the matchbox and then poured the orange colored sand.

5.       The 2 dolphin beads I attached in the middle of the box using glue gun. I positioned them like they were kissing.

6.       And finally I pasted our cut printed names in both sides of the match boxes opening.(Baby, blame Mommy for your mispelled name :P she's the one who printed it. :D

And there you go! Just a piece of cake! Our matches are now ready to light us up. Let's cheers to that! :D

UP NEXT:

My DIY ring holder and wedding cord. Will keep you posted folks.