My New Year's Resolution is to be update my blog more constantly. Here's hoping I can follow through. 

For our 103rd month together as a couple and five months before we get married, J and I took a DIY Wedding Ring Class offered by Studio 925 and created each other's wedding rings. 

Ever since we got engaged we already know we want our wedding to reflect our personalities as much as possible. We’ve always been a couple who loves tinkering with things and making stuff with our hands, and what could be more personal than making our own wedding rings?

We both took days off from work and trooped to Studio 925 located in Jupiter Street in Makati. It was easy to find, but parking is quite a pain, so I suggest you go there early if you're bringing a car.

We started with a strip of silver alloy Our teacher, Teacher Kris, was super patient and accommodating. She explained all the steps and made her own ring alongside us so we could follow her example. I opted for a chevron ring and I appreciate that even though she has never made one before, she accepted the challenge and did not say no.

Another thing that made the experience extra kilig for us is making each other's rings and not making our own, which actually makes a lot of sense now that I think about it. Aside from the class being a great bonding experience for the couple, it's also a wonderful display of service, making sure that the ring you are making for your amore is flawless.

Ring size needs to be precise.

I didn't think it was possible, but seeing how happy J looked while making my ring made me fall in love with him a little bit more.

I now have a deeper appreciation for jewelry-makers, as it was not easy. I think my least favorite part is the sanding as I found it extra challenging and the grating sound almost gave me a migraine, but OMG the output made it all worth it.

My favorite part would probably be the hammering part to give texture to the ring. I almost didn't want to do it but J specifically asked for a textured ring so of course I had to oblige. I am happy I did because it gave the ring more character. We are thinking of having it engraved with our wedding date on the inside band but we can do it some other time. :)

They're so beautiful I can stare at them forever ♡ Knowing how hard we worked on them makes me cherish them more.

My chevron wedding ring points toward my heart, while this engagement ring (J gave me two engagement rings and this is my favorite of them, hee) makes me look like I have a mini bouquet everywhere I go.

The fee for the DIY Wedding Ring class (silver-smithing) is ₱9,600 for the two of you inclusive of usage of the studio and all equipment you will need to finish your rings, all materials, and instruction manual. They also have option for gold-smithing. What a great experience!

Thank you, Teacher Kris!

The class is four hours long but they typically extend to five hours. If you need more time, you also have the option to rent the studio for ₱200/ hour. Because our designs are a bit more complicated and it was also Teacher Kris's first time to make a chevron ring, we finished after a little more than six hours.

Huge thanks also to our diligent photographer Kookee for these great photos ♡

I'd marry J with paper rings but our hand-made wedding rings are so much better (ღ˘⌣˘ღ)

Now let's go get married!

Merry Christmas, world.

Finding a date can be an exciting adventure, but when you’re just starting to work out what - or who - it is you want, and the dating scene is new to you, it can feel rather overwhelming. I should know, as I was single for about seven years before I met my now fiancé. Where do you even start when it comes to finding dates? 

My forever date

The good news is that today there are more ways than ever to find a great date, so it’s a question of doing some research and then picking the option (or options) that seem best to you. The world is your oyster! There are a lot of fishes in the sea! And all that jazz. With that in mind, here are just a few ideas to get you started. 

Online Dating 

My dream meet-cute was meeting the love of my life in a bookstore, but online dating has completely changed the way people are able to connect and meet. With so many dating apps and websites, you’re sure to find one that suits your needs perfectly. The key is to find the right platform, and whether you’re looking for a sugar daddy (no judging!) or someone to settle down and start a family with, there will be a site that’s perfect for you. 

Once you know which site you want to use, you’ll need to create a great profile, and this is often the hardest part. Some things to remember to include are any hobbies and interests you have, what you’re looking for in a date or partner, and, of course, photos. Try to showcase your personality so that the right people find you, and click to learn more. 

Fun fact: J and I met via Tinder. ♡

Social Events 

Some people prefer the ‘old-fashioned’ way of meeting people and going on dates, and that could include a variety of social events. They could be parties hosted by friends, they could be events in your community, or they might be events that have been specifically designed to get people to meet and go on dates (speed dating is a great example). 

The more parties you attend, clubs you join, and activities you get involved in, the more chance you’ll have of meeting someone, or more than one person, to go on dates with. The more time you spend at home alone, the less chance you’ll have of meeting people. It all makes sense and stands to reason, so make sure you go out as much as you can. Of course, don’t let socializing get in the way of your job or homework - you do need to have a good balance. 

Mutual Connections 

Another great way to meet new people is through mutual connections and acquaintances. You never know just who your friends are friends with, and it might be that one or more of those friends could be the ideal date. Don’t be afraid to ask your friendship group if they know of anyone who might be right for you - after all, your friends are going to know you well, so they’ll be able to judge who they think you might get on with from their other friendship groups. 

Because of this reason, and because you wouldn’t be meeting up with complete strangers, which I understand can be worrying for some, this can be the ideal option when you’re looking for a date. The only downside is that if you don’t get on and things don’t go so well, it could be awkward - but that’s something that you can deal with if you need to, and it shouldn’t cause a rift in your friendship.

Yesterday was one for the books, as we were in the room where it happened: the Theatre at Solaire for the Hamilfans Day!

Fastest fingers first was the name of the game as Hamilton International Tour and GMG Productions gave away slots to the first 70 who signed up. Being an expert of ~races like this thanks to my experience in scoring fantastic finds at Instagram thrift shops, I was able to sign up immediately within .03 seconds of the link being up. Thankfully, J also got in so I was guaranteed a date heehee. My sister also got a slot thanks to her friend John who won Theater Fans Manila's contest. What a blessing!

We don't get a chance to dress up like this so when we do, I go all out. I ordered my dress and shoes online and thankfully they arrived on time, while I have had this clutch since before the pandemic but yesterday was only my first time to use it. 

It's always so exciting to attend fan events because you can feel the passion and joy in the room. We were given the chance to meet the cast who was so generous in sharing their. talents and time in interacting with us fans. I regretfully did not get picked to join the games but that's okay because I would have been such a nervous wreck!

Darnell Abraham, Hamilton International Tour's George Washington

Deaundre' Woods, Hamilton International Tour's Aaron Burr

My sister painted the Hamilton logo on black canvas using gold paint, and she was able to have the cast sign it! Meanwhile, I was able to get Jason Arrow (Hamilton International Tour's Alexander Hamilton), Darnell, and Deaundre' sign my Hamilton ticket holder. I also got a souvenir programme, while we availed free holographic photos at the Unionbank lounge!

When J's sister Chelsea introduced Hamilton to me back in 2016, I didn't imagine I would be this obsessed. Up until now the songs from the Original Broadway Cast Recording are still part of my annual Spotify Top 10 HAHA! Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine they would stage the musical here, as I thought I would have to fly out just to catch it. And so to have tickets to the show to share with my sister AND attend the very exclusive Hamilfans Day is BEYOND my millennial-level imagination. What a beautiful memory. It makes me even more excited to see the show next week! 

Look around, look around, at how lucky we are to be alive right now! 

I love kitchen equipment that is no fuss and easy to use, and lets me do anything else while it's doing its thing. You know how the reason why I love my Instant Pot is how it makes me look like a cooking expert but in reality it just lets me dump the ingredients on it so it could work its magic? My new favorite, the Baumann Living Bread Maker, also functions this way.

J got me this Bread Maker (because I asked him to) at the height of the pandemic two years ago. That time, high off the hype of my Instant Pot, I was gung ho on experimenting with other kitchen tools and equipment. The Bread Maker caught my radar because of the reviews I found online. I was enticed by the idea of having freshly baked bread any time I want without needing to knead. I have weak arms you see, so even though I had been wanting to try making my own bread ever since I learned how to bake, the prospect of putting my arms to work put me off.

So J got me the Bread Maker, but you see dear reader, working with yeast intimidated me so. Thus the Bread Maker just got kept in storage for two freaking years.

Last week I tried to bake pupcakes using my oven, but they came out severely undercooked. After four years of being my main workhorse, I think my oven has decided to conk out on me. :( But because I was badly craving bread, a lightbulb moment came and I took my Bread Maker out of storage.

I wish I took it out of storage earlier, because my goodness, I had been happily making bread for a week now and I am looking forward to trying out more recipes!

Lemon Loaf

Banana Walnut Loaf

My favorite so far -- Japanese Milk Bread

270ml water + 2 tbsp oil

1 tsp salt + 2 tbsp sugar + 3 cups bread floor + 1 tsp yeast

Set the Bread Maker to 1 for Basic Bread, choose size (I chose 1.5lb), choose crust color (I chose Medium), then press Start. Here is the finished product after about four hours (including warming time)

Our prapso shih tzu Lucy turned six months old yesterday, and we celebrated at Presko Coffee with J's siblings and their dogs, and yummy food and pup cups! 

Presko Coffee is our go to-café when we feel like going out without venturing too far away, and we just really prefer it there because aside from their delicious food they also give our baby her own treat. :) 

Jecco and Kookee with Bonbon and Cooper

Chelsea and Hugo

My small family