Inspiration: Ashley Woodson Bailey

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I was four years old when I discovered flowers. It was honeysuckle vine growing wildly up a neighbor’s fence and it smelled like candy. The most delicious and sweet candy I had ever come across, and I wanted to eat it.  From there I started to notice all the beautiful flowers that grew in my native land of South Coastal Texas. Everywhere I turned I was surrounded by lantana, bougainvillea and oleander and I loved all of it.  The colors.  The overgrown lushness of the terrain was intoxicating.  It wasn’t until many years later that I realized I wanted flowers to be apart of my everyday life.  My years as a floral designer, mother and wife have led me to where I stand today with a deep-rooted desire to create something lasting.  A way to preserve a memory or a thought or a movement with forever flowers. (Source: AshleyWoodsonBailey.com)

Stumbling upon her site is such a beautiful discovery. I think only a few people do NOT appreciate flowers or anything flower-y/floral. No wonder it's one of the top choices to give to someone who needs a picker-upper. But Woodson has indeed a different way of preserving the beauty of such a wonderful creation, even separating it into light and dark relaying different feels, or maybe ako lang because I'm such an emo kid haha! At the back of my mind I just want to put all of the flowers she captured into a fabric and turn it into an emo-ish floral collection haha! Anyway enjoy the photos below grabbed from her site.

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Thankful Thursday: 030614-031214

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It makes me wonder how many people in the world are maintaining a grateful journal in any form. I’m kind of proud of myself for keeping up and still with photos! Haha nakssss. It’s actually a good exercise because at the end of the day or at the beginning of the next day, I recall the good things or moments and different kind of stuff worthy of a thank you. It’s true, there was never a day when there is nothing to be thankful about.

God has been showering me with a lot of blessings early on this year! Amazing God! I feel grateful for being a channel of blessings in all forms and even inspiring others, too. When people say “nakaka-inspire ka” it just touches my heart! Ako? Nakakainspire parang “weeehh moment” lang e. Thankful!! Also, since I started my mini venture in selling and designing clothes, I got a lot of moral support, encouraging words, nice compliments which make my heart so full!

Our God is indeed the fulfiller of dreams. My long term dream of studying Fashion Design has finally came to reality and I just started my classes last Saturday. This also paves way to my dream of finally becoming a Fashion Designer. Let me also add that I feel thankful for allowing me to meet Micah and Mica who are making my schooling more bearable, fun and interesting. It’s always good to meet new friends most especially if you share the same interests.

I also declare this year as a year of emotional healing. I feel thankful that time mended my broken relationships, and it’s easier to just “forget” the bad things other people did to you. You just know that you’re starting to feel better and free if the cloud of judgment on certain people (which is actually affecting your judgment on other people too) is beginning to clear out. I thank the Lord God for guiding me into a better position I am in now.

It's amazing how my life is turning out to be and I give credit to the One who authors it. I love You Lord and thank You very much.

Below’s the past week’s compilation of daily postings at http://gratefulmerie.tumblr.com:

 

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I am so blessed to pioneer a whole new team, a whole new department with the brightest people combination it could possibly have. Maybe a brag but we are so proud of what we established. Got to visit the former company with most of my batchmates and we feel so glad to be reunited also with the former Parisian boss who’s down here for a visit. It’s so nostalgic and sentimental and fun. Thankful for our bond as well despite now that we’re in different companies already.

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WIW: Sunday Alone

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This is what I wore one Sunday when I spent most of the day by myself – went to church and sourced some fabric. It was the first Sunday of March, the month that signals that summer is just around the corner. And what to wear with a weather that’s already starting to heat up – comfy flowy clothes. This top is a favourite; wore it countless times. It definitely has the summer vibe in it; people usually tell me how ‘catchy’ this top is. The skirt in my favourite color is from The Berries. It’s perfect for summer as it has a breezy and comfy feel. Complete with bubuyog sunnies kasi summer nga though I took pictures inside our house hahaha! My pair of shoes by the way is from Celebracion by Suelas. Okayyy so this is now my nth attempt to post an outfit entry in my blog. It’s for my ka-aliwan purposes okay so bear with it. =))

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Book Club Session: Gone Girl Discussion

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Fez, Serendra

March 1, 2014

What a productive night for the members of our book club! Ayyyy still no name though hahaha! It's our first book discussion session. Sy suggested the novel Gone Girl back on our first meeting last January and after a little more than a month, we met again to share our thoughts and feelings toward it.

Apart from reading books and merely discussing them, we also agreed that whenever we meet, we should choose a place that will remind us of the book we read. Or not necessarily a place, we could get creative as maybe eating a similar interesting dish that was mentioned and was a significant factor in the book, or we could experience a simple moment or an adventure that the characters of the book have experienced as well. Anything goes actually as long as it's related to the book. This is what makes me more excited for each book.

For our first book, we decided to just experience a place. We can't experience the psycho scenes or even the investigation, killing scenes hahaha! Hence, we tried to find a place similar to 'The Bar' in the book and we ended up in Fez in Serendra. It's not really a bar tho but at least we were seated near the bar of the restaurant. Not bad not bad. I like the place for its ceiling and the varied lamps lighting the place. The place has a warm vibe which greatly aided us in taking us back to those moments we were caught up with Gone Girl.

Of course we needed to eat and these are what we ordered. Not much food compared to the tons of talk we had. I guess we were engrossed with this session that the discussion made us full. Haha!

We have unanimous thoughts on this book -- greatly detailed and well-written. We liked the plot and the setting and though some of us already guessed "what happened" (I can't simply spill it here it would ruin the book for frist-time readers), the twist got us still. We all liked how psycho yet really smart and brilliant Amy was, hence how psycho-bitch the author was as well hahaha; and how stupid Nick was; and our feelings toward the different characters! Just like Amy, we got somehow obsessed with the details while we were talking about the book. I'll be posting a book comment on Gone Girl and maybe inject in it more of the discussion we had. Hopefully I could find time to refresh my mind and write about it soon. 

This book is also in the process of being a movie. Yes, of course, we also talked about it and how we find the cast appropriate for the roles.Kinda excited to watch it!

After the book session, we ended up talking about a LOT OF THINGS (as usual even before we formed this book club). Other books, TV series, movies, etc. And yes, we are going to climb a mountain!!! Hooray for this book club! Haha! I had fun that night because apart from the usual loko-lokohan lang and trip-trip non-sense blabbing, we actually made sense! Hahaha! For a night I felt like I was/we were talking profoundly nakssss! I didn't really expect myself to be involved in a book club but hey it's not that bad! 

Cheers to more book club sessions; to more eating; to more moments, experiences and adventures. Let's keep this going. 

P.s. Parang ang lame ng post na to maybe my mind's brain cells taking care of the cohesive writing aren't functioning normal. Kulang na kulang na kasi sa tulog... Anyway I'll just reread this again some other time.

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Merie Eats: AzuThai's

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AzuThai
Feb 14, 2014

Food last Heart's Day with boss amo :) Yes, we enjoyed our two-dish early dinner. 

Keang Leang Goong or Yelloq Prawn Curry. (Php395)
Luke loves curry!

Neau Phat Ta Krai (Php795)
Stir-Fried U.S Beef with Lemongrass
I love this! :)

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Fashion Friday Inspiration

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I must admit that the floral background got me. I stumbled upon this 2014 Claire Pettibone Couture Bridal collection while having my usual rounds on wedding blogs. It obviously got my attention and ended up posting it here for some inspiration. It’s dramatically beautiful. The gowns in the collection are nothing really grand, nothing of those balloon skirts and elegant bodice, but they’re graceful and charming and there’s something in the intricate details and lovely back minutiae. I think I’m having an increased fondness for lace and chiffon or fabrics similar to these.

My favorite. Lovely, charming and graceful to the eyes

Source: http://www.weddingchicks.com/

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Thankful Thursday: 022714-030514

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This past week I want to believe I have accomplished more than I usually do. I am positive and hopeful for the coming days but I still place them all in the hands of the Author of my life. I have crossed out all of the important To-do in my checklist and for that I am thankful. In my life where my needs are somehow impediments to my wants, it can really be exhausting trying to juggle them altogether. There are still times when I let out a sigh and blurt “Hayyy buhay nga naman...” But still LIFE GOES ON. And I can’t just be pegged to where I am currently in. Having all these carried by my brain cells, I feel thankful that I am in capacity to ‘de-stress’ myself and still move on in this crazy thing called life, to talk to people, to eat good food, to explore places, to discover moments, to simply breathe and walk. For all these realizations and seemingly trivial things, I am truly thankful. I have my jiffies of dramas like this but just like sweat that needs to be secreted I am just letting these out.

And below’s a round-up of gratefull posts from http://gratefulmerie.tumblr.com

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What about someday...

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How I would love to see myself doing things I really like doing for the usual one-third of the day which is currently solely dedicated to the corporate world. How I would love to just allow the creative juice to keep flowing any time of the day. How I would love to be a slave of my own chosen ardour. How I would love to see all these realized someday.

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We had a small talk about how he sees me as wanting to do so many things more. You mentioned about “if you want something you prepare for it” pertaining to something you deemed like I’m not ready for or I don’t want yet. I concur with your statement of preparing for things you want. But I beg to disagree with your latter statement. It got me thinking. Why am I doing these things just now? Why suddenly the rush to accomplish so much? Maybe it’s because this is my kind of preparation of having the idea of possibly ending writing a book that I won’t have the chance to turn back the pages and proofread; and write a whole new story with a fresh plot. In all these I was thinking of us. In my decisions, I think of us. I don’t think I was too selfish deciding to do these things just because I want it without thinking how these will affect tomorrow. Sometimes, the way you think still surprises me. Maybe my words and actions speak otherwise of what you perceive. But trust me in this, I am doing my part. Trust me in this.

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WIW: Weekend no.9

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What I wore when I spent another productive Saturday night with the Book Club, which is by the way still nameless. I was starting to feel summer-y hence the laid back outfit. I've had this long-sleeved top for years but I can only count how many times I wore it given that it's actually comfortable. Also, this is one pair of shorts I like because it's slightly "hugging" my thighs. Alam niyo naman sobrang payat ko kung hindi pang-kids hindi ganun ka-fit sa 'kin. Hahaha! Parang ang drama ng itsura ko dito. So better have a look at my smiling face below. Hahaha labo ko lang. 

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Travel Tuesday: A Very Short Intramuros Photo Diary

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Intramuros, Manila

August 2010

Not very far away because it's in MANILA! Who wants to go back and explore this tiny yet very rich part of Manila with me? Just one Saturday or Sunday? I've been here when I was in gradeschool, when I was in high school and still when I was in college. However, my appreciation of the place and the culture and history attached to it just grows each time. Allow me to show a very very short four-photos-only diary when we took one foreign colleague around this place... 

We roamed around and rode a kalesa :)

Enjoying the picturesque Fort Santiago

No wonder couples choose this place for prenup photoshoots, it's lovely!

One of the guys.

I can't remember where I saved other photos but this is a place worth captivating and can't help taking photos here and there. I will be back here before this year ends and allow myself to dwell in the richness of everything in this place.

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The WICKED Weekend

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Wicked The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz

The Broadway Musical

CCP Main Theater

February 15, 2014

It's another dream come true seeing the "Broadway's biggest blockbuster (NY Times)" in real life! More than a year ago I was also blessed to see the Phantom of the Opera and finally, it was a rather long wait for another internationally big musical!

So what is the story of Wicked:

Long before Dorothy dropped in, two other girls meet in the Land of Oz. One, born with emerald-green skin, is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. How these two unlikely friends end up as the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good makes for the most spellbinding new musical in years. WICKED, the untold story of the witches of Oz, features music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Pippin, Academy Award® winner for Pocahontas and The Prince of Egypt) and book by Winnie Holzman (My So Called Life, Once And Again and thirtysomething), and is based on the best-selling novel by Gregory Maguire. (Source: www.wickedthemusical.com.ph)

As soon as I came to know that they're bringing this musical here in the Philippines I immediately sent tweets to my musical buddies which are also my college friends. Duh obviously it was a GO! And after some delayed tendencies, this musical got extended and I felt like it was extended for me and my friends' sake! Hahaha!

We bought Balcony 1 seats. Someday we'll seat just in front of the stage or we'll grab the best seats the theater will offer but for now, Balcony 1 sufficed. The best seats were sold really fast.

Come the WICKED WEEKEND and I was just sooooo giddy!!!We met early and had lunch first just like what we did the last time. We had some good chat and tons of laughter in between as usual. We entered CCP just in time for the long queue and we waited to be seated inside their main theater. CCP always always gives me good vibes. If only I have so much money to spare, theatrical and musical plays would be my kind of splurge. I grew up watching them e wala e mahal maging hilig to. Hahaha!

The stage set-up is really amazing. I feel like it was no less than the set-up abroad. I haven't seen any musical abroad YET. I just based it on videos and photos online haha. More than just the stage set-up was the musical play itself. It was soooooooooo amazingly wonderful spectacular I almost cried! I love it, I do! I think we all did! We can't help but clap on wow-ing scenes. GRABE ANG GALING AMAZING! Actually, I can't put into words how I felt about the musical. All I know is I was happy and fulfilled while watching it. Fulfilled talaga?

Meet my college friends/musical buddies. Candy's missing but hopefully next time we could be complete. That's Tin in the middle. Parang tatakbo lang for BnE2008 officer/representative (it's our batch assembly in La Salle) hahaha! I missed them! It was also nice talking to them about their recent trips in Europe and New York. We haven't seen each other in quite a long time. Wait lang, maalala ko wala akong nakuhang pasalubong. Hahaha!

So this is half of my college barkada. And I can't wait for April for us to be complete! And also I can't wait for our next musical to watch. Hmmm, what Broadway big would land the CCP theatre? 

Now this is the obligatory picture with this as our backdrop. Tangkad mo Kat!! 

And that is me writing on behalf of us.

That's all for the Wicked Weekend that we had. If only I could watch it all over again, I STILL WOULD! Kudos to the production and the cast. BUT I suddenly remember, it would be GREAT if I could see Idina Menzel as Elphaba, tapos sabay kanta ng Let It Go. Hahahaha! 

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Let's still do this

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Late post but I thought of posting this anyway because I would miss this kind of times with Jezrah. Huhuhu.I will miss our spontaneous lunches and random talks.  

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Merie Eats: Mogu

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Mogu, Serendra
Feb 3, 2014

As mentioned in a previous blog post, this is where we ate in celebration of my sister's birthday. They went all the way to Serendra because it's near my workplace. I pass by this food place everyday but it's my first time to try this restaurant, they're first time too, and we were not disappointed. The below will show you what we ordered. 

Ebi Tempura Maki (Php245)

Chicken Teppanyaki (Php295)

Carbonara (Php285)
It's the odd one out because I always want to try Carbonara haha

Grilled Salmon (Php425)

Ebi Tempura (Php205) and Mixed Tempura (Php290)

Sukiyaki (Php685) It's our favorite dish that night

We got this dessert for free cos it's Queza's birthday :)

It was a good first time given that my family, except for my sister, doesn't eat much Japanese food.

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Merie Eats: Big City's Classic Burger Meal

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Just wanted to share my and my boyfriend's fancy over Big City's burgers and hotdogs :) It's a frequent "fastfood" place for us when we're too lazy to think of where to eat and sort of to save money too. I like their combo meals like the one in the photo. It is also served with either iced tea or lemonade. :)

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Still Weaving

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So I'm home alone on a Sunday morning as I arrived home late last night already. I was having breakfast and thinking life ahead of me. Alam mo yung normal na napapaisip ka if am I on the right track, given that currently I enrolled myself in fashion school, started a tiny business, will transfer to a new company... I started thinking if I am in the right spot on this second of this date. And as I was already doing my devotional, I feel like God answered me through it. 

My life was in a bumpy ride but I couldn't be thankful enough to Him for where I am now is a lot better where I was. But STILL, I can’t help but be anxious of what might happen ahead of me. I may not be in a very tough time right now, I've been through tough times (thank God!), but I know God may allow these kinds of times again to happen.

As what this devotional is trying to relay, I must stop looking merely at the back side of my life’s tapestry. Ang daming buhol, ang daming gupit-gupit, there are threads I can’t even connect. And I must stop disappointing myself by expecting things would turn out the way I want it too. For the past few years, I found it hard entrusting it all to Him. Umiral ang pagkamatigas ng ulo ko that I wanted it my way. But amazingly, events turned out to be actually better than what I planned, one after the other, because I kept on praying and I entrusted it all to Him. Only God knows. What I feel right now? I am so eager of what masterpiece God created my life to be, He has a purpose, hence, I will continue to entrust my life to Him, well, He lent it to me anyway. 

“Called With A Purpose” 

"We know all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." -Romans 8:28

Paul’s assurance in his letter to the Romans is one of the most quoted and least understood passage in the New Testament. When some people hear the verse, they flare in ager because they think Paul is saying that the traumatic event they’ve just experienced is good. But that’s not at all what he’s saying. 

Paul is inviting us to remember – in every situation, even the most painful ones – the final result of our lives’ tapestry. We should remember that the God of love, wisdom, and strength has the ability to weave the dark threads or our lives in with the light-colored ones to produce something beautiful. In our pain all we can see is the back of the fabric, but we can be assured that God will produce something fine out of it. 

Although God promises to work things for our good the promise of the verse isn’t that things will work out the way we want them to. God is the weaver and events are the threads. Our lives are just the loom on which He works to create His masterpiece. In many cases, we find that God’s design is quite different from what we hoped, dreamed, or even contemplated. We can either follow the design He has planned, or we can continue to demand our own way. One leads to life and peace; the other, to anger and despair, choose wisely, with faith in God and His design. 

Mankind is all too often inclined to take credit for his accomplishments, but when things go wrong, he blames God. -Zig Ziglar

Source: The One Year Daily Insights with Zig Ziglar and Dr. Ike Reighard

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