The weekend is almost here, my friends, and I am feeling crafty! Adam J. Kurtz's talk from his book signing inspired me so much that I caught the artsy fever again. Now I want to start painting again, or make a handmade book, or sew, or make paper crafts!

Since this blog has become a mish-mash of my hobbies and interests and things I like talking about like books, movies, TV shows, lipsticks, and dolls, among others, let's now talk about stationery.

I took my Flow Book for Paper Lovers from storage so I can do a little show and tell before I actually tear the pages and use them.


I was not aware of the existence of such a product as this until I saw it in Singapore last year. Ronnie's friend brought us to a store that sells art books and I just couldn't let it go despite it being bulky and an unplanned purchase.


Just look how thick it is! The pages are perforated so it's easy to tear them!

The listed price is SGD 39.00 but I think I got it for a lower price because the owner of the store gave us big discounts.

In this edition we’ve aimed to create the sense of being in a retro office; a place where you’d find all sorts of beautiful things in its cupboards and drawers. Labels, stickers, cards, envelopes, stationery, lovely lettering, pop-ups, posters and so much more. Once again, we collaborated with a large team of illustrators from all around the world, who are just as crazy about paper as we are.

Be prepared for paper envy because I'm posting more photos here. ♡




The book is divided into three sections: PRINT STUDIO, PAPER STUDIO, and PATTERN STUDIO.































The back cover page has a flap that contains paper envelopes and a paper lantern.


I think it's a reeeally good buy considering the numerous designs and sheets of paper included, the quality, and the number of projects I can make with it. I am so excited for the first project that I will be making this weekend! Here's hoping I can actually find it in me to tear the pages and use them, heh.

Apologies but I do not know if this is available here in Manila, but keep a look out at your favorite art and book stores because they might carry it, too! If not, good ol' Book Depository is just a click away.

Today I stayed home so I can sort my books and determine which ones I can already let go of and sell. As some of you may know, I will be going through a major operation soon and the funds that will be generated from this sale will be very much welcome.

And that is the premise of today's post.

Now let's take a trip down memory lane.


If you have been reading my blog for quite a while, you may remember this photo of my favorite book shelf that I shared on one of my Currently posts three years ago. Unfortunately, this orderly arrangement of books looks nowhere near the current state of this bookshelf. I know I said "I am imposing a rule: eBooks over physical books, unless they come autographed or come in special edition/ full color like those books about movies that I love." but, you know, life, and countless book purchases, happen.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I can blame book sales, book fairs, book destashers, bookstores, my Fully Booked Discount Card and National Bookstore Laking National Card, Book Depository, Book Sale, and my enabler boyfriend all I want, but really, all I can blame is myself. In the last three years since I wrote this post I have accumulated more books than my poor bookshelf, boxes, and drawers can hold. Now aside from three shelves, two boxes, and a drawer, I also have at least three tall book towers. The clincher? I haven't even read most of these new books yet.

Back to my destashing story... It proved to be a TOTAL FAIL because of all the books in my shelves, drawers, and book towers I managed to choose only SEVEN books I will be willing to part with. SEVEN.

I am left with more than a hundred books I can’t find in my heart to let go of. I think I am still holding out for my dream library in my future home.

Now I feel bad because I realized the number of books I have yet to read. Sorry for neglecting you, friends! I promise to be a better reader this year.

Send help. 

My officemate Erwin suggested this:

Pick up a random title and try to remember the last time you read it.
If you can't recall reading it in the last 12 months, get rid of it.

It's a sound idea, yes, but I don't think it will be possible for me to let go of those I haven't read yet, because I need to know if I will like the story or not. It just cannot be done.

I guess I just have to make an effort to lessen my time spent in social media and dedicate it to my books, instead. Today was a good day, because I got to finish Doorkeeper by Scott Lee Chua and Ethan Chua in one sitting. I will prepare a more in-depth review but right now I wanted to say that I really enjoyed reading it, mostly because I love when stories are interlaced with other stories. The creators did a great job weaving most of the stories with those we are already familiar with. The art is also great and really helped move the story forward. I think my favorite is the story set in Manila circa Martial Law. The Doorkeeper reminded me of Dream of The Sandman, and I would love for this to become a series of books, too. Congratulations to the authors and artists behind this book!

Tomorrow is another day, and I hope I am more successful.

Last Friday, we had a meeting with a new client in their office. Guess where their office is?

It's in Fully Booked in BGC, one of my favorite places in the world!

Oh man, I could just imagine going to work there and walking between endless aisles of books, art supplies, and DVDs every break-time. So convenient, but I could also imagine how antsy or distracted I would be!

Plus, low enough as it is, I'm sure my shopping EQ would be diminished to almost nothing! Case in point, here's my newest buy, grabbed from the shelf and paid for instantaneously:

When it comes to impulse buys, I am the best/ worst. In my defense, at least I wouldn't have to wait for two to three weeks before I get my copy.

Someday, I'm going to have my own bookstore, and it would carry my books that I would write. ♡

Speaking of books, I'd like to thank Alvin for his "Congratulations, you're an author!" gift to me!

I love books, movies, and books about movies This is perfect! Thank you!

Aaand speaking of author-things, I have already signed the contract for Buqo to distribute the Young Adult story I wrote as part of a bundle.


There will be a launch event for the Buqo YA bundles this coming Saturday, April 25, in Greenfield District. If you would be so inclined, I hope you guys can come and support me new Filipino authors!

Another way to show your support [if you want to, we're not twisting arms here] is to join the Buqo YA blog tour if you have a blog! Go here to sign up if you would like to review the books or post excerpts or author interviews. My story is part of the Sweet Complications bundle whose blog tour schedule is slated for May 4 to 8. ♡

Now I'd like to reveal the cover Vlad Jocson made for me, as well as the blurb for Once Upon a Sticky Note.

Nate and Tanya have been “talk all day, every day” best friends for years but on the eve of Nate’s birthday, Tanya realized she has started developing more-than-platonic feelings him. They’re going off to college soon so confessing anything that might make things complicated between them doesn’t sound like a good plan, especially now that Campus Sweetie Armi has entered the picture. What would Tanya do? Could she? Should she? Grab a sticky note and place your bets.

It's a short story that you can finish in one sitting, but I hope the "feels" satisfy you. I can't wait for you guys to read it and tell me what you think!

I'm equal parts excited for and terrified of Saturday. ( ⋂‿⋂’) It's gonna be a long week!


READING
I just started with 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff. I needed something not romance-centric; I don't need other fictional worlds mixing with my Spark NA-thoughts, heh.

WRITING
Still my Spark NA novella. I don't think I have hit my stride yet but the elements are coming together quite nicely. I just really hope I get to finish this and get a stab at that publishing deal!

LISTENING TO
Fun. because Nate Ruess's voice gives me life.

WEARING
Sleeveless cotton tank top and shorts. IT'S SO HOT AND HUMID IN MANILA RIGHT NOW.

THINKING
Of what to wear tomorrow.

FEELING
Okay. I'm anxious yet excited due to reasons stated above, but otherwise, yeah, I think I'm okay.

LOVING
How a project gives birth to other projects.

WANTING
That Batman: A Visual History book.

NEEDING
That Batman: A Visual History book.

WISHING
For that Batman: A Visual History book. And that you guys like Once Upon a Sticky Note  as much as I enjoyed exploring Nate and Tanya's journey to young love.

Have a pleasant week ahead, everyone! Take care of your hearts. ♥

I love the Internet and the idea that it has made the world smaller and us closer, but sometimes there are things that make me want to turn my laptop off and not open it again anytime soon. Tumblr-speak like "feels", "childhood ruined" (is your childhood that inconsequential that a little piece of information is enough to ruin it for you?), "I can't even", and "faith in humanity restored" (I've always found this phrase odd − and not good odd) make me cringe. I get hyperbole, I'm the queen of hyperbole (see?) but I find nothing comforting in these clichés thrown offhandedly in every comment section you come across.

Still, I love the Internet for the aforementioned reason and I'm sure you do, too. And because sometimes, it astounds you.

If you need your "faith in humanity restored" or something, all you have to do is visit Amanda Palmer's Facebook page and feel the love emanating from your screen because of her and her fans' posts. For the uninitiated, Amanda is a singer, performer, and crowdfunding pioneer. She is also Neil Gaiman's wife, and that is how I first came across her page. Last month her book The Art of Asking: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Let People Help based on her TED talk was released.

Even while Amanda is both celebrated and attacked for her fearlessness in asking for help, she finds that there are important things she cannot ask for-as a musician, as a friend, and as a wife. She learns that she isn't alone in this, that so many people are afraid to ask for help, and it paralyzes their lives and relationships. In this groundbreaking book, she explores these barriers in her own life and in the lives of those around her, and discovers the emotional, philosophical, and practical aspects of THE ART OF ASKING. 

Part manifesto, part revelation, this is the story of an artist struggling with the new rules of exchange in the twenty-first century, both on and off the Internet. THE ART OF ASKING will inspire readers to rethink their own ideas about asking, giving, art, and love.

I really wanted to pre-order an autographed copy from Book Depository but at the time I didn't have enough funds for everything I wanted to buy, and now they've already run out of these signed copies.

Recognizing the fact that not everyone who wants to read her book has the means to do so, she posted about Amazon's 30% discount and her fans responded by saying THEY WANT TO BUY BOOKS FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN'T. It got so crazy that a system had to be put in place, and someone forwarded the idea of using Mass Mosaic, a website where people can post what they want/ have and enable them to ask for it/ give it away/ trade it. AMAZING. In less than an hour, a mosaic group for Amanda's book was created.

Since I really wanted a copy and local bookstores hasn't stocked her book yet (and I'm not sure if they ever will, I hope they do), I decided to just go for it and ask. I didn't want to incur additional charges to whoever would be kind enough to give me a copy though, so I asked for a Kindle edition.

I didn't really know what to say so I just kept my message short

In less than three hours, I got this:

A kind soul gifted a Kindle edition of The Art of Asking to me!

Max the Kindle is very happy with this new addition

Meanwhile, so many people are buying the books to give as gifts that Amazon ran out of stock!

AMAZING

And since I'm new to Mass Mosaic, I didn't realize I incorrectly put up two 'wants'. Silly me. So when another kind soul offered to send me the book...


We need more movements like this. The world is filled with wonderful people. Doesn't that "restore your faith in humanity" or sumthin'?

I guess this avalanche of kindness and generosity is to be expected from someone as awesome as Amanda Palmer, but to be a firsthand witness to that? It fills my heart with so much love and awe I feel like I can spontaneously combust.

This book is not about seeing people from safe distances − that seductive place where most of us live, hide, and run to for what we think is emotional safety. The Art of Asking is a book about cultivating trust and getting as close as possible to love, vulnerability, and connection. Uncomfortably close. Dangerously close. Beautifully close. And uncomfortably close is exactly where we need to be if we want to transform this culture of scarcity and fundamental distrust.

− Foreword by Brené Brown

Join the mass-asking and mass-gifting by going here and visit Amanda's Facebook page here. Unless you have a heart of stone, I'm sure the stories will touch you.

I really needed this. Thank you, Amanda. Thank you, Internet.

And since we're in the process of asking, I ask that you help us pray for the soul of my Uncle Karl.

Pain comes when you least expect it, like a thief in the night. It has been 40 days since he passed, but I still get a jolt of disbelief every time I think of him and remember that he's no longer here. The pain never really goes away. Acceptance will come soon. For now, we'll say we miss him and we love him very much.

A blink and a sigh, and it's the last day of November! Can you believe it? Christmas is almost here!

The best thing about having a job is having the means to pay for my everyday necessities and little treats for myself every now and then. I still love rewarding myself by splurging a little when I achieve or accomplish something, but I'm happy to say I've now become more discerning of the things I buy and have grown more conscious of my finances. Okay, enough with that long winding introduction, all I wanted to say is that I remember I started this blog sharing photos and stories of my shopping hauls. Now, allow me to be superficial for a bit as I think I'd like to do that again just because I missed it!

1 My True Love Gave to Me, a collection of holiday stories from various authors, edited by Stephanie Perkins. Holiday romances in fiction is one of my guilty pleasures. Think The Holiday, Dash & Lily's Book of Dares, Let It Snow... I loved them all. I'm planning to start reading this book this week. 2 Washi tapes. I can't resist buying these tapes even though I know I won't be able to use them all up! At about P65 each, they don't exactly come cheap but what can I do? I am planning to buy more use them to decorate my 2015 planner. 3 Increments, Kapitan Bayaran, and Footnotes to Misplaced Items by Joanne Cesario and Michelle Bacabac. I want to support local makers and story-tellers so I get them whenever I get the chance. My favorite from this selection is Increments. 4 The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin. I bought a bunch of eBooks from Amazon for my Kindle and this is one of the titles I got. I AM ENJOYING MYSELF THOROUGHLY that I paused reading because I didn't want it to end just yet.

I can't say much about the packaging except that it's flimsy and looks cheap, but I'm not complaining because I love the staying power, pigmentation, and staying power of BYS! Everything's crazy affordable, too! I got two lipsticks, a brow liner/ pencil, and an eyeliner, and they all amounted to P966. The SA at Watsons - Fisher Mall was also extra nice and gave me a lipstick case and a pouch even when my purchases did not reach P1,000. 

Optical illusion or stubbornly sticking to what is apparently my favorite print on clothes. YES, I LOVE STRIPES and I cannot lie. I also love polka dots and graphic heart and star prints. Basically I love patterns and prints on my clothes. The story behind this photo is that I went shopping with my friend Marsha wearing the dress on the left, and ended up buying the dress on the right. Can my love for black-and-white stripes be any clearer than that?

And finally, my Book Depository purchase that I was afraid would never come because of port congestion issues! I've been hankering for one of these Magnetic Poetry Kits for so long that I finally got one when Book Depository held a store-wide sale. I am enjoying this kit A LOT and am looking forward to getting more. The only problem I have with the Book Lover kit is that it didn't contain the word 'read' in it. It would've been perfect had that word been included, but oh well.

I also replenished my stash of watercolor pads and bought a set of watercolor pencils. I'm looking forward to practicing and painting more! I should write a post containing my newest artworks; hopefully I can get to do it this week.

So there! Twenty-five days before Christmas yet I've already bought myself about nine different gifts already. I should start shopping for my family and friends also, hee.

Enjoy the holi-daze!