A Birthday Message

September 30, 2014
Meeting that one person and finding that you value their opinion more than other people you've met. That one person who's just like your sister/brother, but isn't. That one person who you tell your deepest darkest secrets too. That one person that gets you. That one person you find yourself crying to after a breakup, or to bitch about some person you loath. That one person who will always try to be there. And before you think of it, No I'm not talking about the love of your life or your mom, I'm talking about a best friend.

It's my best friends birthday today! Michelle and I have been best friend since...7th grade, so that's like 8 - 9 years. Howly hellhole! That's a lot of years. Waw.

And cue the embarrassing photos
 
Photos from (2008-2009)

We were a trio actually. Michelle, Nikki, and I. We would laugh, argue, and push each other toward the guys we had crushes on. The arguments usually involved teenage mood swings but would usually die down with a simple laugh and a broken door or two. That one time, things; no idea what things, but things, got out of hand, and Michelle locks herself into a stall in the girls bathroom of our high school. Nikki and I would try to talk her into unlocking the door, but she just wouldn't budge. So we started pounding, and Nikki eventually began slamming her body towards the door deliberately trying break it down. I think she meant to scare Michelle into opening the door, but when it was too late, Michelle squeaked in fear while Nikki and I gasped at the sight of the broken door. Fortunately no one was hurt and the three of us just ran out of there like criminals laughing our arses off. That was one of the fondest memories of the three of us together. 

Another was during our senior year Christmas party, I wasn't feeling particularly in the partying mood, Michelle, made me go through a little scavenger hunt. Just a fun way to spice up the usual Christmas gift giving. So she planted small notes around school for me to find. The notes had instructions to where I should go next, and it eventually led to an empty locker and a snow white teddy that I later called "Zero" (Vampire Knight reference), which I still have. It was the sweetest gesture anyone has ever done for me. That day, I realized how awesome it was to have a best friend like her.

 
Photos from (2008-2009)
Okay enough with the embarrassing photos...

When graduation hit, Michelle; or by that time we called her Nish, so she could get into the N's of Nikki, Naj (yes my sister) and I. Nish had to leave for the Philippines to study, and from the moment we last saw each other, we would count down the days to the next four years. 

Communicating via yahoo messenger then slowly migrating to facebook, we kept in touch, and we would speak every week, sometimes everyday. Between those four years, my family planned to visit the Philippines for vacation and Nish and I hung out for a day. And that day was the last time I saw her in person. That was back in 2012.

Despite our long friendship, Nish and I were known for our differences; at least to each other. We were almost complete opposites. She likes savory, I prefer sweet. She's a realist, I'm the optimist. She's outgoing, I'm the hermit. She's the sporty fashionable type with her sneakers and tees, I'm the girly girl with my florals and pink dresses.

And that brings me to my Nish-inspired outfit. 


While I would pair my skater skirt with heeled boots and a crop top, I predict Nish will style hers with a pair of sneakers and some denim. I really wish she was here with me or I was there, so I could actually feature her on the blog. 







| White top - Forever 21 | Denim top (similar) - H&M
| Skater Skirt (similar, similar) - Ebay | Shoes - Converse
| Necklace (similar) - Ebay |


So, Michelle, Happy 21st Birthday! Reminisce on the fun times we spent together in person, as teenagers, and the fun times we spent chatting on facebook about completely random things like how many times your phone got stolen since you moved to the Philippines. If we were to spend the next couple of years at least, in the same country, we would celebrate birthdays by partying until midnight, by the end of which you would get drunk and puke your guts out while just stand there and laugh for a bit before I hold your hair up and rub your back. Stay happy, live life the way you want to, whether it's sitting around doing nothing for a week or jumping off a plane, Fight hard for what you believe in and stay strong no matter what. I'll see you soon.! <3

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DIY Autumn Leaves Garland

September 29, 2014
You know you need a little bit of a change when you walk into you room and notice that it looks so plain; despite the mess of course. And you're itching to change something, and move things around because you're just sick of what you see everyday and it's starting to look boring. 


So I've been obsessed with getting my room to look like an autumn pinterest board threw up on it. Okay gross but you get what I mean. It's been looking too plain and with the weather changing, I felt like my room needed a little change. And I decided to make some autumn leaf garlands to liven up the room a bit and get into the spirit of thanksgiving...kind of.

Here is how I did it!


First off, you will need a few things 


1. Autumn colored wrapping paper (the cloth-like kind that refuses to stick with tape) or normal colored paper. (Orange, yellow, brown, green) 
2. String
3. Scissors
4. Autumn leaves printouts (you can get some here; Just Paint It Blog and Spoonful)
5. A needle/ sewing pin / paper clip (if using normal paper) 
6. Maybe some tape (for normal paper) 


Cut them out. It doesn't have to be perfect since we'll be cutting bigger sizes with wrapping paper. 


Cut about 6 inches of your wrapping paper, and again it doesn't have to be perfect since we'll be cutting around it anyway. 
*if you're using new normal paper proceed to the next step.

 

Then you'll want to fold your paper in half twice to make a rectangle. Then you could either fold it once more sideways or cut it in half. I cut mine in half since the paper was a little too thick.
You will want to make sure the paper is around the same size or bigger than the leaf printout.
*folding it makes it about 4 - 6 leaves.

 

You will want to get your sewing needle and stick it through the printout and the paper to hold it in place while cutting. 

* If you're using normal paper, you can use a paper clip to hold it in place instead of a sewing pin

 

Once you're done cutting, it should look like this. 
* I used a pin because the wrapping paper is cloth-like and stretchable (no idea why), and so when I pin it, the holes aren't noticeable. 

 

Now you will want to cut small slits on two sides of the leaf to slip in the string. And you're done! 

  *if you're using normal paper, you don't need to slit holes in the leaves, just stick them directly on the string with tape. 



I literally jumped up and down for a bit after I hung it by my window. 

Hope you all have as much fun making these garlands as I did. I just love crafts! 
Good Luck and have a great rest of the day!!

 
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Book Review: Outlander (Outlander #1) by Diana Gabaldon

September 28, 2014


Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Series: Outlander
Genre: Historical Romance, Fantasy, Highlands
Synopsis
The year is 1945. Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon--when she walks through a standing stone in one of the ancient stone circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach--an "outlander"--in a Scotland torn by war and raiding Highland clans in the year of Our Lord...1743.
Hurled back in time by forces she cannot understand, Claire is catapulted into intrigues and dangers that may threaten her life...and shatter her heart. For here she meets James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, and becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire...and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives. (Goodreads)

Review

Let's just put it out there. I started this book because the TV show was just too good and I can't stand a week of torment not knowing what's going to happen next; plus that mid-season break will be the death of me. That's probably the reason of 90% of those who started the series around the same time I did.

Despite what bad things I hear about the author, the book was written quite well. When I dislike an author, I tend to dislike their books along with it. But Outlander seems pretty good not to like.

Claire Randall (Beauchamp) finds herself accidentally transported 200 years back in time, and was smart enough to blend in. 200 years is a long time and if I were her, I'd be beheaded by the fortnight. But it is these kind of books that gives us a reason to study our history. Just in case we accidentally get transported back in time.

Outlander was so intriguing because I would want to know what would happen next for Claire. Will she be able to get back to her own time? Will they think she's crazy or a witch if she told someone? All these questions were swarming in my head that tried to predict the ending. Fortunately, as I gradually went through the book, all my questions were answered. As for me trying to predict the ending, it wasn't what I thought would happen. I expected more adventure, more bang!

This book would make me squeel, gasp, cringe, and panic every time something bad was about to happen, or something so weird and shocking would be revealed. I would just pause, and try to process what just happened because it would sometimes be too much. Like Jonathan Randall. His issues are hella weird and screwed up to the point that makes me cringe.

But the love and attraction between Jamie and Claire made me blush and melt with every sweet, romantic, innocent, protective and hilarious scene with the two. Whenever Jamie would call Claire, Sassenach and mo nighean doon just makes me shiver,  stirs up butterflies in my belly and bring heat to my cheeks. Phew...

Outlander is entertaining, engrossing, adventurous, and romantic enough to get you smiling until the very end of the book.

After reading the summary of book two, I am slightly hesitant to read it, but I will in time.

A recommended book who enjoys reading highlander novels and doesn't mind the cringe worthy descriptive scenes of flogging and sexual harassment.

 

  
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Book Review: Romancing Mr. Bridgerton (Bridgertons # 4) by Julia Quinn + Epilogue II

September 26, 2014



Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn
Series: Bridgertons (#4)
Genre: Historical Romance
Synopsis
Penelope Featherington has secretly adored her best friend's brother for... well, it feels like forever. After half a lifetime of watching Colin Bridgerton from afar, she thinks she knows everything about him, until she stumbles across his deepest secret... and fears she doesn't know him at all.

Colin Bridgerton is tired of being thought nothing but an empty-headed charmer, tired of everyone's preoccupation with the notorious gossip columnist Lady Whistledown, who can't seem to publish an edition without mentioning him in the first paragraph.

But when Colin returns to London from a trip aboard, he discovers nothing in his life is quite the same, especially Penelope Featherington, the girl haunting his dreams!

And when he discovers that Penelope has secrets of her own, this elusive bachelor must decide... is she his biggest threat, or his promise of a happy ending?

Review

It has come to this bloggers attention that Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by the Ms. Julia Quinn is the most relatable, brilliant, heart-felt, and romantic novel of all the Bridgerton books that this bloggers has read so far. Being a wallflower throughout her teenage years, and for further years after that, this blogger feels that she relates to the Ms. Penelope Bridgerton (née Featherington) much more than the past three heroins in the series.

Okay, that was me trying to write like Lady Whistledown. I think it's a pretty good imitation, with my writing skills and vocabulary, and all.

Book four of the Bridgerton series; Romancing Mr. Bridgerton, In this edition we see the wallflower turned spinster, Penelope Featherington, ending up with the charming, light eyed, Colin Bridgerton. This is obviously not a spoiler since we all know they end up together anyway, it's what historical romance is about.

From the from the prologue I was instantly hooked. Understanding the unrequited love Penelope felt for Colin and accepting that they will never go passed being friends, is something every young girl goes through at least once in their lives. Despite the usual hunt for husbands, Penelope has found a way to keep busy for the years of torture of being the pitiful wallflower.  Her secret that has made Penelope, her. A secret I am not going to reveal, but a secret that have caused arguments and bipolar mood swings with Colin.

The detailed romance and emotions swirling around in this book was impeccable. The hurt, the low self-esteem, the pride, the disappointment, the love and the lust. It hit me like gush of wind on in a storm. I was glued to the book for a week, relishing every word and every scene before it came to the end.

Romancing Mr. Bridgerton is my definite favorite of the series so far. I know I say this after every book of the series but I feel like it will stick this time. It's an engrossing, fun, witty, and romantic read. It's unputdownable. Literally.


  

For those of you who have already read this lovely book, I have found a link to the second epilogue.
Enjoy! ;)

 

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Oversized and Plaid

September 24, 2014


My so called life, is an old 1990's tv show about an awkward teenage girl and her friends, and how they go through high school dealing with their teenage problems such as boys, hatred for school, zits, and the usual drama between friends. It's a pretty good show, with a lot of inner dialogue and awkward conversations between crushes. (oh the word "crush" just takes me back to high school...i don't miss it at all)

Unsure where exactly I heard about this show, I know it's not what I watched as kid, but I do recall seeing it floating around the internet somewhere, and noticed that it had young Claire Danes and young Jared Leto in it. Who doesn't want to see that? It's always fun to see celebrities and how they looked like before they got big. I mean, let's take a moment to just acknowledge Jared and Shannon Leto's hair.



And moment over...

This outfit was slightly inspired by My So Called Life. Throughout the season; before it got cancelled, all I saw was plaid, plaid, oversized shirts, plaid, layers, and more plaid.

I found a way to wear this awesome yet oversized shirt out, since I wanted to show it off for a bit before I degrade it into the pajama-family. Tucking the shirt into my jeans, adding my oversized plaid button up over it and throwing on my converse, my casual weird yet comfortable 90's look was complete. It's a look that anyone can pull off.

If you worry about looking like that person stuck in the 90's, or that person dressed a little too weird or like they didn't try at all to look presentable...

"Care not about what others think because it's what you think that matters most to yourself"

It's a quote I started to live by so I can wear whatever makes me feel comfortable in my own skin. So wear what makes you feel beautiful for the day, be it a pair of sweats or a summer dress in the middle of winter. As long as you got a smile on your face, your clothes will just add a few plus points to your inner beauty. 


Plaid - Gifted | Shirt - Custom designed by Najla Qamber Designs 
Belt - Forever 21 | Jeans - Bershka | Shoes - Converse 
Photo creds: Najla Qamber






Have you guys watched My so-called life? What do you think of the show?
Happy Wednesday everyone and remember to love yourself! 

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