from Solsona, Ilocos Norte

Last January my family and I went to Solsona for a brief vacation. We were there to unwind and to let the kids witness the town fiesta. The kids were excited çoz that was the first time that they were able to appreciate their visit to the town. They were just babies when they first had their vacation there. Then the next visit my daughter was just about to turn three years old while my son was almost 7 years old.

The day we arrived was the day for the Solsona of Hawaii Association. The Mrs. Solsona of Hawaii muse and her entourage was paraded around town. It was their first time to witness a parade in my hometown so our kids were really excited.

My daughter especially was eager to see the gradeschool bands and of course the majorettes! Sadly her school don't have a band, sayang she would like to play the xylophone or try to be a majorette if the school would have a band.

The Hawaiian muse and entourage threw dollar bills, folding fans, lispticks, shorts, shirts, calendars, imported candies, and even US made perfumed hand sanitizers! My cousin said the muses from Hawaii do that in the parades. The local muses threw local candies only.

Karinkin River

I miss swimming in our town's rivers. 

Look at the water, the place.

When you are used to swimming in rivers, you will learn to love the fresh and cold water. The water from Karinkin River flows from nearby springs of the mountains of Cordillera. 

Joy (in the middle) with her new pal April, and April's older sister

Some parts of the river are shallow. In some parts where the water meanders, it collects into deeper parts and provides pools deep enough for bathers.

I love to float gazing at the blue sky or let myself sink to the river's rocky bottom. I can't feel the same thing when I'm at the beach. The idea of swimming by the beach seems to scare me, what with all the sea creatures that may try to take a bite off me!

When I was younger, my swimming bodies and I used to jump off the improvised wooden bridges towards the fast current of the deep blue parts of the river in Gasgas. Some would climb the ar-o (pine) trees and jump from the highest branch they can reach ala-Tarzan. Some would do somersaults before their wiry bodies hit the cold water.

I did not witness any of those kinds of stunts however. Kids these days lack verve!

bad attitude of some Farinas Trans female employees

i've been trying to curb my temperament. but it usually gets set off by other's lapses, irresponsibility, and dishonesty. those things ticks me off!

i am trying to tie outbursts by letting time pass for a while, so both sides can think and see things better. and it not only angers me but it really makes me sad when people will stand up for lies and bad behavior.

how can those people not see?

everybody's got a bad side. but when your job (bus employee) is tied to serving people (customer service), you must have the presence of mind not to muddle your outlook (where onlookers or potential customers will surely look at you in a bad light) or your service to customers just because some co-employee (mechanic, would like to have his/their vacation) ruffled your feathers. Or some customer you served earlier ruffled your feathers. You are not excused to dump your stresses on any customer.

i noticed that some female employees of Fariñas Bus at the Manila terminal have adopted haughty attitudes that you can't help but give them a taste of their own medicine.

i was able to observe some of the drivers and conductors. they communicate with customers/passengers nicely. and that was how the drivers and conductors were when i was still a student. they are not mayabang at all. if only all of their employees are as nice as the bus drivers and conductors. those female employees needs some relaxing team building activities perhaps. they are ruining their employer's business, what with all the high key tones! they can't even say sorry and pasensiya in a humble manner. they say those words in high keys as if they expect the offended customer to accept such bad attitude because they are employees who can attend to you or not.

Please help Nini!

Nini is suffering from congenital heart disease; patent doctus arteriusus,  tricuspid regurgitation, mitral regurgitation (severe), infective endocarditis (thoses are her heart consitions that was given to me). She is a niece of my husband. When I heard the "let it be, can't do anything about it" note while I am being told of her condition, I was appalled. I feel that I had to do something, even if financially I really have none to offer.  I'm asking your help for Nini that she may get stronger and healthier. Please help Nini.

Her parents had to transfer her from the Philippine Heart Center to the National Children's Hospital (NCH) with a Web site at http://nch.doh.gov.ph/ due to lack of funds for her prescribed medicines, physicians' fees, and other medical procedures and expenses. They learned that a nongovernmental agency with an office at NCH may be able to help their child. 

Nini is now bed ridden, and a lot thinner than how she looks in the picture. Her father sent a message saying that Nini cannot walk nor move or eat without assistance. You may inquire at (02)7240656, 7240657, 7240658, 7240659 if you want to learn more about her condition.

Nini's family are from Barangay Damayan, Macalelon, Quezon, Philippines. She is the only girl out of 5 siblings. Her father sometimes sells cooked food in front of her grandparent's house to make ends meet. Her mother who now have a different family works as a massage therapist. Their earnings are not enough to cover Nini's medical needs as well as for those of her siblings. 

Please help Nini get stronger and to avail of the medical procedures that her family cannot afford. Her doctors say she can't be operated on in her current condition, she's too weak to even sit. She's now a mere shadow of her stronger self like in the picture which was taken last holy week 2013 when she and her cousins (she's the one in the red shirt standing on the bamboo raft) were catching shrimps from a relative's fish pond.
Your help or donation will go directly to her medical expenses. You may also visit http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/for-nini/x/6462416 where a funding project was started for her. Thank you so much!

my hometown

I've been thinking of writing some posts on things like the Philippine countryside, uniquely Philippine customs and traditions, Philippine way of life, or just day to day observations. Like the countryside folks in Quezon province and the northern towns of Ilocos Norte. I am raring to post about my hometown, the towns of Pagudpud, Burgos, Adams, Banna, even the newly opened mountain pass from Solsona to Apayao. I want to post how the local folks get on daily. At the local market, the corner store, the local clinic or hospital even police outposts. And of course things that the family will do together.

The road to my hometown. I get a joyful feeling whenever I think of this road and of the green nature that surrounds the town.

I love the morning breeze and the fog that envelopes the town and its barrios. Bucolic. Sounds old and a bit corny but for me — that (!) is the right term. (How long it will last, that, I am not sure).

Gasgas river

A cousin gave me copies of some photos that I asked from her. I was awed when I saw in some of the pictures that fog still envelopes the town in the early morning. The air at such hour is so cold, very fresh, your exposed extremities get numb and you may even get the chills. It is at this hour that a short dip in one of its rivers or streams is best. The water may be cold but it totally refreshes you and gives just the right shot of adrenaline to power you up for the day! The water that nourishes the town flows from mountain streams. In some places you can still dig holes beside riverbanks, let the water settle and get clearer, then you may drink the water from your small well right there. The water tastes sweet and refreshing, yes, it is still clean.

The people in my town are very hardy, more so the barrio folks. They farm well and they know how to make use of their environment efficiently. They gather freshwater shells from the rivers and stream. They cook these into unusual but yummy dishes when fish is hard to catch and the harvest is low. They may use kaingin in their farms but they plant trees not only for subsistence but also for shelter. I believe that an increasing number in migration and global influence are somehow causing a difference in my townmate’s ideals. A lot of them are in a hurry to catch up with the rest of the world. Some are not aware of the grave consequences that their efforts to improve their lives has produced.

I was sad when I last visited my town. The town may have progressed into one of the most progressive towns in the whole province of Ilocos Norte, but sadly the landscape has changed.

I get emotional whenever I am in the open field. I love open spaces. I love breathing in the fresh air, more so of my town. I love to look at the green fields, the meadows, paths criss-crossing streams into the woods, wide rivers whose waters turn from crystal clear to green and to deep blue. Brooks sing in my hometown, the sound of the water sound like melodies to my ears. I get so happy just by gazing at streams slicing farmlands, even in irrigation ditches and canals (built by the local government and a Japanese construction company). If you are an outdoorsy person you will understand what I am trying to say here.

Gasgas river. Hope it looks better now though.

I love how nature is in my town, I just hope that the quarrying, illegal logging, and other practices that are accelerating its environmental destruction will abate. I hope that the local officials or NGOs will see to it that the town’s natural environment be saved. I am hoping too that reforestation and saving the water sources, as well as saving the river shorelines from too much dredging and quarrying be given immediate consideration, before it’s too late...

I want to do a lot... and yet

yellow agate charm bracelet

Here’s the rose quartz charm bracelet and yellow agate charm bracelet I made in the same afternoon. I made a post on the rose quartz bracelet in my previous post. You may scroll down a bit to read it. 

The yellow agate beads not only looks lovely and warm on your skin, the bead can also help you reduce stress and detoxify. The bracelet is made more chic with some charms on the other half. You may wear it anywhere you would like to be.

You can have the healing and charm bracelet of your choice for Ph195.00 each (+ shipping fee). Each bracelet comes with a free pouch.:)

I made the charm bracelets with real yellow agate beads and the same is true with the rose quartz they are all real. I also used copper wires, copper spacers, nickel chains, nickel cupid pendants, long leaf pendants also in nickel, white class A glass beads, and white agate stones wire-wrapped in copper wires and small colorful beads.

free pouch!

Agates like the yellow agate are used in various ailments such as to strengthen the heart, give courage, to harmonize the heart, throat, and solar plexus, detoxify your body’s systems, reduce temperature, sharpen the mind and sight, give balance, lend eloquence, vitality and joy, mellows, bring prosperity, raise self esteem, balance extremism, aid in re-oxygenation of body, helps in regeneration during wound healing, protect from x-rays, give strength, give protection, support, aids upset stomach, clear and strengthen the lungs, rid depression, invigorate the skin.

I accept orders! Just send me a msg. Pickups can be done within Makati commercial center, MRT-Ayala station, Greenbelt, and at Glorietta Makati. All bracelets or jewelries purchased from the blogger comes with free repairs only (part replacement fees are based on price of parts only, no service fee). 

rose quartz and charms

Here is one of the new charms bracelet I made recently.This one is made of round rose quartz crystals and the other half is connected to a nickel chain with bronze finish. Pink drop glass beads, nickel with bronze finish charms, and crystallized white glass beads adorn the chain. A nickel hole and barrel lock keeps the two strands together around the wearer’s wrist.

 Ph195 + shipping fee if you’re outside Metro Manila or if you want it delivered.

Rose quarts like agates are healing stones. It is claimed by practitioners that it can help cure heart ailments, circulatory system problems, fertility, headaches, reducing wrinkles, migraines, kidney disease, sinus problems, acne, earaches, spleen problems, fibromyalgia, in helping one reach his or her ideal weight, depression, or throat problems.

It’s a pretty bracelet and most of the girls who saw them ordered for one or choosed other agates, stones, or pearls (red agate, green agate, blue agate, amethyst, tourmaline, etc.). The baby pink color of rose quartz softens the eyes and it exudes a sense of calm, content, and confidence. It soothes your emotions. Some may attribute this to rose quartz being known as a healer of emotions and it “encourages” a strong bond within the family or between emotionally related individuals.

Even Emma Stone (American actress) and Linda Evangelista (TV star and former top model) use rose quartz stone to massage across their faces three times a week “. . .to give their faces a more contoured look and to dramatically smooth fine lines and wrinkles.  The lymphatic drainage is also apparently stimulated when you use the stone, detoxifying the skin, and reduces the puffiness in the face and around the eyes. The rose quartz stone can also be used to relieve stress in the facial muscles which seem to accumulate as we age.” You can read more of this at http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2513760/Can-29-rose-quartz-banish-wrinkles-Emma-Stone-Linda-Evangelista-think-so.html(accessed on 4 December 2013).

The girls I’ve shown it to liked it immediately although they are torn between the rose quartz bracelet and the yellow agate charm bracelet. Who wouldn’t? Look at the yellow agate charm bracelet, the healing power of the agate is heightened by the dangling charms!

All bracelets purchased from the blogger are accepted for free repairs (with minimal fee for gold bracelets). You may send me your msg. if you would like to order.

agate bracelets for healing

I also make agate bracelets which comes in cute boxes. Agates are fine grained microcrystalline variety of silica, mainly variegated chalcedony. They are found in various  kinds of rocks but they are more associated with volcanic rocks. The stone’s name was given by the Greek philosopher and naturalist, Theophrastus.  Theophrastus discovered the stone along the Achates River (now called Dirillo, Sicily). They are very hard stones used in jewelries. The colors are arranged in stripes or patches.   

 Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Agatebots.jpg

This is a Botswana agate. Looks really awesome no?

It is believed that agate stones helps in healing, attract strength and protects the wearer from bad dreams, stress, and energy drains. Agates with banded colors were placed at the head of a sleeper to give rich and varied dreams.

These stones are also used for stomach upsets. The agate can't change emotions, but helps to change the level of acceptance of the emotion. Like when you are very sad the agate will “let you know” that this will pass and help you get on to another and better day. This is why the Agate is considered so powerful as it gives us the strength to carry on. Carry an agate when you have to make an important decision.

Agates, especially the blue agate, have a balancing and healing energy and soothing effect to the wearer. These stones can heal more than chrysocholla, turquoise, aquamarine, celestite and other powerful blue healers of the earth. Agate is also inexpensive.

The blue agate is considered as the most powerful of the healing stones. The energies of other agates are expressed by their colours. The fire red agate will have the same healing energy as the blue agate, but in a more energized manner, while the green agate will heal and refresh the mind and body. 

Agate is also considered to be protective, as well as grounding, so it is often combined with Dzi beads to create feng shui bracelets of various designs. 

here is one of the agate bracelets i sell.

it comes with a free and cute box, nice for gift giving and 

at a very affordable price Ph280.00 each

simply pretty watches in cute boxes!

and that's the most awfully cute title i've ever used for one of my posts! i forgot to add a title when i posted this and i just added it this morning. :) I know it’s been almost a week since the last post. I was kind of busy. But I would like to share some pictures of cutesy watches in cutesy gift boxes for girls and girls at heart!

I’ve been trying to find these watches, çoz I really like the leather bracelets and the bracelets look really leather sexy if there’s such a term! You can wear them in class, to dates with your special someone, to dates with the friends, family dates, or just for going around!

  

The gift boxes makes it easy for you to just hand it over to the one you would like to give it to. No ribbon making and gift wrapping hassle to stress you out. And the receiver or buyer can reuse the box for trinkets, anything that you would like to store in it, or just to use it as display. The watch may come with a free extra battery, until battery supplies last.

I sell the boxed watches for Ph180.00 only if you would like to pickup the merchandise near Makati or in the Makati area. If there is no need for shipping I may be able to give another small discount. If shipping is needed and the fee is not that much I may be able to send it without shipping fee. But if the shipping fee is really big I may let you pay for it. You may haggle with the price of any merchandise. Thank you and have a nice day!

multicolored Swarovski bracelet

I would like to create a bracelet using the interspersed style i used as the centerpiece of this bracelet. I like the appearance of Swarovski stones in a zigzagging-like interval, if there's ever such a term.

Swarovski bracelet in 10K gold, Ph520 + shipping fee if needed. the gift box is free

The bracelet would look great for pretty women, single ladies, teens, and teeny boppers!

I accept orders. You may email me at cecileqpastrana@gmail.com or send your inquiries at 09196510612.

jade and Swarovski soft bangle

Like pearls, jades are cool accessories. You may use either in formal to casual occasions. Those who believe in the healing power of jade wear them each day. It is also believed that jade brings prosperity and good health to the wearer.

Ph680.00 + shipping fee if needed (the gift box is free)

I used barrel shaped real jade beads, white Swarovski crystals, 10K gold balls, 10K gold tubes, 7mm thick 10K gold wire, and a short strip of 5mm thick 10K gold wire to attach the 10K gold lock to the 7mm gold wire bangle support. 

The soft bangle is made of real 10K gold from the wires to the gold tubes and gold balls. 

You will know if a piece of jade is real if it is cool to the touch. The temperature of the surface it touches may be transferred to the jade but when it is released the jade will once again adopt the temperature of its environment (or it is once again cool to the touch). 

You may use the soft bangle at work, while out with your family or friends, or anywhere you would like to wear it. It is not like other flashy jewelry that can be used only in certain occasions. And it can go with any form of clothing whether you use it with rugged, casual, or formal wear. 

I do meetups in Makati’s commercial center at Greenbelt1-5, Glorietta, MRT Ayala, and in Dasmariñas City (bayan), Cavite. You may also text for orders and inquiries at 09196510612 or email me at cecileqpastrana@gmail.com

pearls!

Of all the materials I use in making accessories pearls are the ones I favour most. I love to make pearl bracelets in simple strings, as stud earrings, necklaces, or charm bracelets. No matter how simple the design is, if I use pearls the design attains a somewhat classy look. Look at this bracelet isn’t it classy?

Ph120.00 + shipping fee if needed

I used simple copper spacers in flower and tube design to let the attention remain on the lustrous pearls. To give a little hint of power, I added a tiny red agate to gather all the positive energies to the wearer. Look at that bead! 

here's another classy pearl bracelet with nickel spacers and locks

For the pearl and charms bracelets, I wrapped some small colored beads using copper wires around white agate. They made the bead more upbeat! I used copper wires, bronze spacers, a bronze angel in a heart charm, crystal beads in white and pink, pink drop beads for these charm bracelets. 

Ph120.00 + shipping fee if needed

I find wire wrapping a bit tedious, time consuming. I managed to puncture my thumbnail not just three times while wrapping some agate, too. I guess that’s some small sacrifice which often happens whenever I make wire jewelries. There are times when my thumbs and forefinger are sore enough from being bled for me to have a hard time wielding a pen or pencil. But I usually waive that awful feeling when I have to finish a wire project! I accept orders! All of the bracelets comes in cute pouches! You may choose from, violet and pink (only colors available at the moment). Or you may text me if there are other colors available. I do meetups for buyers near MRT Ayala station, Greenbelt Makati, Glorietta Makati, SM Makati, even in Dasmariñas (bayan), Cavite 



Cecile 
09196510612 
cecileqpastrana@gmail.com

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trying hard copy cat hoop earrings!

i’m still trying to perfect my craft. i am sometimes not satisfied with my own wirework so I try to look for other styles and add my own idea. i think honesty should be observed in everything you do. so I don’t have any qualms in saying I get inspiration and sometimes copy a little bit of that, a little bit of those, from other wire jewelry maker. they give insights/tips like an acorn is a chav!

a pair of hoop earrings in 10K 7mm goldwire, Swarovzki crystals in various colors, 

and 10K gold balls at Ph250.00 only + shipping fee if needed

The pair of Swarovzki earrings I did above is the third actually of that style. But my eyesight is not good in the evening. So when I made that pair I really had an uneasy wire twerking episode. J I may have to do wire hoops more often to practice the twerking!:)

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Korean love stories

what's with Korean love stories?

i grew up thinking that singkit movies (sorry folks but that's the term used by playmates and even old folks before, back at the small town where i grew up) and tv programs are not really good. they lack emotional depth. so when the K-pop invasion arrived i preferred to watch within my filmography comfort zone. but when another long weekend loomed and with nothing new to watch, i accepted an officemate's offer of copying some of her K-pop files. i tried to escape being branded mapili or arte kaya ayoko ng K-pop, so sige i said "yes, pa-kopya!"

and whatdidyaknow!

when the prince fell, both were knocked out

and opened their eyes to a new phase in their lives. . .

these two kids made me watch the whole drama without skipping!

"the moon that embraces the sun" was the first K-drama i ever watched and it reduced me to tears! bhu! huhuhuhuhuhuuuuuuuu. . . !

thanks to English subtitles or else i couldn't have understood a thing. harharhaaaar! :)

this love story is about two teens who met in the palace grounds during the awarding ceremonies for the Sungkyonkuwan graduates. the attraction between them grew, and it led to marriage, heart break, unrequieted love, political upheaval, treason, murder plots, death, vengeance, and divine intervention. enough emotional roller coaster to tie me up until i finished it in 3 nights!

who wouldn't?

i got so hooked to the emotional joy of first love, look at these two! omg! their love story is so cute and heartbreaking!

i was so happy when the king relented and gave the prince his blessing so he can marry the girl he fell in love with. . .

my heart swelled with the brotherly love and faithfulness between these two, against all odds.

while the machinations of most of members the king's court made the drama more chewy

 

http://www.dramabeans.com/

this lotus tea ceremony was presided by the queen mother (that's her hands pouring hot water over the lotus blossom) who lead and stirred the power struggle within the palace. this scene was quite symbolic, 'coz it is here where the two key villains were introduced.

after all the death and heartaches, they were lucky to find again each other . . .

thinking, if only they can run away and be together. . .

thinking that, may be happiness can be hidden behind a screen. . .

or with a eunuch who acts as chaperone(?) . . .

but they had to set things straight first to be really happy

to drive away the bad things 

to forgive and forget . . .

and finally to be happy.

haaaaaay! :)

bracelets for November

free from deadlines, i was able to make some bracelets again.

i like to work with gold wires more 'çoz gold wires are easier to manipulate than steel or copper. and they look better. :)

Php 550.00 + shipping fee if needed

i made the bracelet in the picture using red bicone Swarovzki crsytals, small bicone light orange Swarovzki crystals, 10K gold balls, 10K gold s-shaped tubes with ridges, 10K goldwire and a 10K gold lock.

thanks James for the pictures!

you can see the bracelet inside a jewelry box. the bracelets i make comes in cute jewelry boxes, and buyers think the jewelry boxes excuses the need to gift wrap the jewelry they buy for someone on a special occassion.

here is a gold bracelet in 10K gold. i used 10K gold balls in different designs and sizes, 10K gold wires, and 10K gold lock.

here is the 10K gold bracelet inside its jewelry box. Php 620.00 + shipping fee if needed

real 10K gold are used in ALL of the gold bracelets and can last for a very long time as 10K gold does and with proper care of the buyer/owner.

the jewelry boxes may vary in colors (silver, gold, yellow ochre, red, etc.) and design(red and black dots, blue and light blue dots, pink and cream dots) depending on the availability. sometimes pouches(velvet = red, pink, black; chiffon/net> hearts design=pink, red, silver, gold, green, orange, white; flowers= gold, silver, white) may be used.

you may place orders at 09196510612

meet ups: Greenbelt, MRT Makati, or Dasmariñas, Cavite

shipping fee: if needed please add to the jewelry price