Hello Mommies!

I came in the office super early this morning, that's why I decided to have a quick post on my first washi tape make-over experience.  Washi tape crafts have been such a craze nowadays.  You can turn any simple notebook, cellphone case, bags, doors, walls, and even furnitures into fab.   It's very economical and easy to use.  You can find it anywhere online for around 60-100 pesos each depending on the size and the fabric.  BUT if you are really looking for cheaper ones, 168 Mall Divisoria is so perfect for you.  They have lots of different kinds of washi tapes for like 40 per box! that's already 4 pieces in a box!

I bought mine at hey kessy.  It was 75 pesos each and I bought 3 pieces.  Our transaction was really smooth and it arrived in just a day (upon my request hihi).  I placed my order late afternoon and it arrived at my office the next day after lunch.  I'm so happy with their service.  I even got a free postcard! how cool was that! 

You can find them here (http://www.heykessy.com).  Here is what I ordered:


Sealed in a very cute chevron paper bag =)

3 pieces of short thin blue washi tape with my postcard!

Now for my project, I decided to give Gabo's study table a new look.  Iv'e been itchy on this for a month but due to crazy schedules at work and at home, it was only then that I gave it a shot.

Here it was before:






Nakakaawa tignan diba? Who would want to study in that kind of table cover?

So let's get started.  First, I decided to peel every inch of it's top cover.  




Next, I covered it with a gift wrapper to give a smooth base.  

Its not obvious that I like chevron noh? hehe

Then I started to stick the washi tape diagonally and alternately. I used two kinds of washi tape. One has a paper/matte finish and the other one was glossy.  


I bought the yellow glossy tape at national bookstore for 30 pesos



I continued sticking the tape until I'm done!  Here's the final look.





I really really love how it turned out.  It's so easy to do and it just took me around 20 minutes to finish it. I believe that I did a great combination of the two washi tapes. Did you see the chevron cover beneath it? I love its shadow effect!  Gabo looked so happy when he saw it because I used his favorite colors which are blue and yellow. =)



Spread the good vibes everyone!
Hi guys! 

How are you? 

Its been a long time since my last post I know. I'm fine, however, I have to be honest that I'm
not that Owwkay. There are things that have not running smoothly right now. I have been thinking about it quite sometime until it took its toll only yesterday. Just to give you the context, there are some people in my life, people I have known long before, people whom I just met and the people that come and go whom I'm dealing with some issues. I didn't know if it's coincidence that they all simultaneously giving me crazy days and sleepless nights.

I feel betrayed.

Betrayed by those people that I did not only trust but whom I also considered as a family, sisters. For such a long time I knew and I can attest to myself and to the people that is true to me that I have been a loyal and a very dependable friend. I'm not the type of friend who gives flowery words just to please you. You can hear a lot of criticisms, but I can assure you that all of those are intended to make you think better and to challenge you that you can still do more. I'm the type of person that I can go through hell just to help you, comfort you, listen to you and simply just to be with you. In short, hindi kita pababayaan. That's the reason why it was just so painful when I discovered that I have been betrayed, and left alone. I know it is bad but I have so much grudges in my mind and in my heart right now that I cannot rationalize the reason why they had to do that on me. Then while reflecting, I suddenly realized that those relationships no longer brings any particular goodness in life and is perhaps, even detrimental. I remember reading a particular book that says "Sometimes, we hold on to people purely based on how long we have known them. Time can tie people together, but if you feel as though there’s nothing substantial keeping you connected, time is not a strong enough reason to hold on to something that’s simply no longer worth holding onto." That's when I came to the point of letting go. It just brought me so much pain that staying on it wasn't an option anymore. I believed it will no longer bring any happy ending and peacefulness if I just sticked on the negative feeling that I have right now while enduring the hurt and pain. I have to do something different today to welcome my inner peace back.

I would to share this advice (with my comments) from John M. Grohol that entitles: 

5 Ways to Let Go of Past Hurts

The only way you can accept new joy and happiness into your life is to make space for it. If your heart is filled full-up with pain and hurt, how can you be open to anything new?

1. Make the decision to let it go.

Things don’t disappear on their own. You need to make the commitment to “let it go.” If you don’t make this conscious choice up-front, you could end up self-sabotaging any effort to move on from this past hurt.

It's true.  You have to make a choice.  Life is a choice and happiness is always a choice.  No one will do this except yourself.  No matter how people around you tell you what you should do, it is still up to you to make a change, to take the plunge.  Help yourself, free yourself and move on.

2. Express your pain — and your responsibility.

Express the pain the hurt made you feel, whether it’s directly to the other person, or through just getting it out of your system (like venting to a friend, or writing in a journal, or writing a letter you never send to the other person). Get it all out of your system at once. Doing so will also help you understand what — specifically — your hurt is about.

That's why I decided to write what I honestly felt.  It helped me unleash the saddest feelings in me.  It allowed me to breathe and helped me to stay calm.  A phone call to my husband also helps a lot.  I needed someone who can bring me back to reality when I'm being irrational due to my emotions.  Jun is such an honest and unbiased person.  He tell's me when I'm wrong and plants wisdom to my soul just when I needed it.  

3. Stop being the victim and blaming others.

Being the victim feels good — it’s like being on the winning team of you against the world. But guess what? The world largely doesn’t care, so you need to get over yourself. Yes, you’re special. Yes, your feelings matter. But don’t confuse with “your feelings matter” to “your feelings should override all else, and nothing else matters.” Your feelings are just one part of this large thing we call life, which is all interwoven and complex. And messy.

I needed to be in control with myself.  Focusing on the negative side and allowing those nasty emotions will never ever give you a peace of mind.

4. Focus on the present — the here and now — and joy.

Now it’s time to let go. Let go of the past, and stop reliving it. Stop telling yourself that story where the protagonist — you — is forever the victim of this other person’s horrible actions. You can’t undo the past, all you can do is to make today the best day of your life.

Make a brand new you.  The hell with those betrayal and the hell with those grudges.  Stop stressing yourself and start focusing on the things that really matters to you, on the things that helps you become a better you, on the people that brightens your day and on the people that brings out the best in you.

5. Forgive them — and yourself.

We may not have to forget another person’s bad behaviors, but virtually everybody deserves our forgiveness. Sometimes we get stuck in our pain and our stubbornness, we can’t even imagine forgiveness. But forgiveness isn’t saying, “I agree with what you did.” Instead, it’s saying, “I don’t agree with what you did, but I forgive you anyway.”

Forgiveness isn’t a sign of weakness. Instead, it’s simply saying, “I’m a good person. You’re a good person. You did something that hurt me. But I want to move forward in my life and welcome joy back into it. I can’t do that fully until I let this go.”

And forgiving yourself may be an important part of this step as well, as sometimes we may end up blaming ourselves for the situation or hurt. While we indeed may have had some part to play in the hurt (see step 2), there’s no reason you need to keep beating yourself up over it. If you can’t forgive yourself, how will you be able to live in future peace and happiness?

There is no other way out but to forgive those people that hurt you.  I admit that it is not a walk in the park process but you can't never fully achieve happiness without forgiveness.  

Give yourself a a very big favor by forgiving yourself too.  It takes two to tango.  Along the way you may have some unintentional participation on the "hurt" process.  However, again, you must never dwell onto it instead accept that things happen for a reason and that tomorrow is a new sun shiny day for you.
_______________________________________________________________

Allow me to cap this post by saying that life indeed is too short for us to focus on negativity. God is the way, the truth, and the life.  What happens now is bound to happen because God has a greater plan for us.  You may never understand and accept it now, but in time you will come running to him, to hug him and thank him that what he does gave you an eternal happiness. =)

 Stay positive and have a very bright day!


Good day everyone!

As I have told you on my previous post, I am already a mom of three June's. June because they were all born on the month of June! Gabo's birthday was on June 2, Yani is June 1, and my baby Axxel is on June 10. Did I mention that my birthday is on June 13? Haha! It's funny I know. Buti na lang my husband's birthday is on July, pero muntik na din diba? Okay lang daw 'yun because his nickname is Jun so hindi talaga nalalayo.  I posted na our birthdays ha so that you already know when to deliver your precious gifts! haha just kidding.  

I recently gave birth to my baby Axxel last June 10 this year.  He will turn five months this coming November 10, and he is growing really healthy and heavy! Here's my story goes. During his first two weeks, I noticed some rashes (butlig) on his face.  I didn't panic at first because I thought it was just a normal rashes for babies.  The next day, the rashes developed on his right cheek.  It was now more noticeable as it covered almost all the area of his cheek. I immediately checked his crib beddings wherein I saw ants (probably 3-4 ants) crawling at his beddings.  I checked his face, body, hair,  and hands and fortunately the ants weren't able to penetrate him.  After that i changed his beddings.   Again, the next day, it was already his left cheek that became reddish.  His feet and legs turned scaly and dry too.  It was that time that I asked my mom to accompany me to his pedia to consult his condition.  It was then when we arrived in the clinic that the pedia diagnosed my baby with skin asthma.  I was so shocked.  I didn't expect it co'z I have not experienced that on my first two kids.  The pedia asked us if we have history on asthma, eczema, and the like, and I said no.  My family and my husband's family do not have any history of it and I haven't encountered any person close to me that has one (except for the niece of my husband who also have skin asthma which she got naman on his sister-in-law's side).  I immediately called Jun and told him Axxel's condition.  It was really frustrating.  Seeing my baby at such a very young age (2 weeks old!) really breaks our heart.  Though I can see him that he was not irritated, seeing those reddish circle marks on his face was just so pitiful.  He is a very sweet boy.  Laging naka smile.  He is now the source of joy in our home.  Pati kuya at ate niya, tuwang tuwa at nanggigigil sa kanya. 

So the question is how did he get it? My pedia said that maybe it was in his milk.  Sorry, I mixed feed him.  That time, I'm still in the process of  transferring from mixed to exclusively breastfeeding. Then accidentally, when I handed her the baby book of Axxel, he noticed that my hands are dry.  I said that my palm has its tendency of becoming so dry once in a while. In fact when you look at my palm, it has too many thin lines unlike others regular palm wherein there's only 3-4 lines that will form a letter "M" like. I don't even have a permanent finger print.  The lines on my fingers are not round compared to others.  In short, my finger prints change from time to time.  Weird right?  Then there you go! that's the answer! My baby got his skin asthma from me pala =(.  All the while, I think it was just a simple allergy in my hands, 'yun pala skin asthma din.  Luckily for me, it didn't spread naman in other parts of my body.  

I then asked her what can be done to treat it or even just to reduce the redness of it.  She said that it's good if I can breastfeed him exclusively, washed his clothes with mild soap preferably with perla white, iron his clothes, avoid textured/feathery blankets, use only mild/non-comedogenic soaps when bathing.  She suggested three brands of soap and lotion. First is the Cetaphil, then Physiogel, and lastly Oilatum.  She handed me sample sizes of the three and told me to observe first what suits his skin or what on those three will be more effective on his skin type.   I first used the Cetaphil's Restoraderm Skin Restoring Body Wash when bathing and Skin Restoring Body Lotion as his after bath lotion.  I gave it a 3-day trial but sadly it did not work for my baby. Though it didn't aggravate my baby's condition, it did not also improve its appearance.  Next, I tried Physiogel Skin Cleanser and Physiogel Cream.  I bought the cleanser at P380-400 (I forgot the exact amount) for 300ml and the cream at P549.50 for 75ml both at Watsons.  I was so happy with the result because it visibly reduced the appearance of the rashes in just 2 days of usage! Physiogel really did a good job especially its cream.  I used the cream not just on his face but also on his body.  I applied it after bath or every time I see that his skin asthma attacked.  What I like about the cream was that it has natural lipids to protect and restore healthy skin, it contains no colourants, perfume and preservatives, it's hypoallergenic, and most of all it's non-comedogenic.  While I was so satisfied with the works of Physiogel, I also gave a shot to use Oilatum.  I've read a lot of the healing effects of the Oilatum especially its soap, so I gave it a try.  What I did was that I used the Oilatum bar as his bath soap then I combined it with the Physiogel cream as his lotion.  That combination did an amazing job! I swear, the tandem is more effective than the Physiogel cleanser and cream.  Axxel takes a bath two times a day (regular bath in the morning and a quick bath in the afternoon) and in just an overnight, his skin's natural smoothness was back.  Since then, I continue to use the Physiogel cream and Oilatum bar tandem with a lot of prayer too until now that he is turning 5 months old.  So far, so good. There's no serious breakout that ever happened.  

Now, this part of the post is for the benefit of those parents who have kids like me with the same condition, or for those who still want to know more about skin asthma, I did  some internet research on it. It's lengthy but it's worth the read.  Hope this helps.

Dr. Kristine Legaspi, a dermatologist from the University of Santo Tomas Hospital, explains that atopic dermatitis is the medical term for the disease more popularly known as skin asthma.  Atopic means a predisposition to be overly sensitive to allergens (like in asthma) and dermatitis is an inflammation of the skin.  Skin asthma typically presents in infancy/childhood and may persist in adult life, with hyper-reactivity of the person’s immune system resulting to  exacerbations or flares. If exposed to trigger factors, such as irritants (e.g. soaps, detergents), skin infections and contact or inhalant allergens, the condition may worsen and require medication. (smart parenting)
What Is Atopic Dermatitis/Eczema?

The skin is an organ that can become diseased. One fairly common skin condition, especially in some infants and children, is atopic dermatitis, or eczema. Other forms of skin diseases include seborrheic eczema (cause unknown) and contact dermatitis (such as poison ivy or contact with detergents and chemicals). Atopic dermatitis is the most difficult to treat—but it can be controlled.
Who Develops Atopic Dermatitis?
About 1 percent of all children's visits to doctors is for atopic dermatitis. It affects from 1 percent to 10 percent of infants. About 27 percent of infants whose mothers have allergies develop atopic dermatitis. One-half of infants who have eczema before they are one year old have no more symptoms by age two.
Atopic dermatitis usually goes away during childhood, or by the age of 25. But for some people, it is lifelong. Adults can also develop atopic dermatitis.
What Causes the Condition?
Researchers have found that atopic dermatitis can be triggered by a number of factors, including allergy and emotional stress. It involves high levels of immunoglobulin E (IgE), the major allergy antibody.
It is related to the development of other allergies, such as allergic rhinitis and asthma, in most children. In one study of adults who had atopic dermatitis as children:
  • About 35 percent had no skin problems but had asthma or hay fever.
  • Only 20 percent still had the condition.
  • About 15 percent had both atopic dermatitis and asthma or hay fever.
What Are Its Symptoms?
In infants, atopic dermatitis appears as an itchy rash, called pruritus. It appears first as small white pimples with red centers over the infant's cheeks, neck and scalp. As the itchiness becomes annoying, the infant may scratch the rash. This can cause the area to become infected, ooze fluid and spread over a wider area. The rash can also appear on the outside surfaces of the arms and legs. It often does not appear in the diapered area.
In older children, the rash appears on the inner forearm, behind the knees, and opposite the elbows. Skin that is chronically covered with the rash over time will become dry, thickened and more brown in color. Some children get the rash on the eyelids, palms of the hand and soles of the feet. Teenagers and young adults get the rash most often in the bend of the elbow, back of the knees, ankles and wrists, and on the face, neck, chest, and palms of the hands and soles of the feet.
In some people, inhaled substances (such as dust mites, animal allergens and pollen) can cause flare-ups of atopic dermatitis. A bacterial, fungal or viral infection also can cause a flare-up. Food allergies may trigger an episode in children, but rarely in adults.
Atopic dermatitis is not contagious. Sometimes, though, scratching can lead to a bacterial infection. A Staphylococcus aureus bacterial infection of an area covered by eczema can cause impetigo, a skin infection that is contagious. (Other causes of impetigo are infections following poison ivy or an allergy to soap or makeup.) Most often impetigo occurs on the face, especially around the mouth and nose. It begins with tiny blisters that burst and may ooze fluid, then become crusted.
How Is Atopic Dermatitis Diagnosed?
To diagnose atopic dermatitis, the doctor will take a careful medical history, looking especially at allergy among other family members. If food is the suspected cause of a child's eczema, the doctor may delete milk, egg, peanut, or other suspected foods from the child's diet to see if symptoms go away. If there is a history of atopic dermatitis among other family members, the doctor may suggest that solid foods be withheld from infants until they are at least six months old.
Skin testing can help confirm that a food allergy is triggering flare-ups. An extract of the suspected food substance is used to scratch or prick the skin. If the patient is allergic, the area becomes red and swollen. But some people may have a positive reaction to a food that is not causing the eczema.
Skin tests also can be difficult if the patient already has a rash. In such cases, a blood test such as the RAST (radioallergosorbent test) is used to detect food-specific antibodies in the blood. Another lab test analyzes a blood sample for the presence of eosinophils, cells that cause inflammation.
A food challenge can confirm that atopic dermatitis is triggered by food. Suspected foods are removed from the diet, then they are added back in, first in small amounts then in increasing quantities, and the patient is watched to see if symptoms recur.
How Can It Be Treated?
  • Treatment begins with efforts to reduce the itching and inflammation, hydrating the skin and removing the "flare factors" such as infections and exposure to allergens and irritants:
  • Bathe in warm water not hot water for no more than 3-5 minutes. Use superfatted, unscented soap or soap substitute. Pat the skin dry, then promptly apply a moisturizer. This will help keep the skin hydrated. If the area has become thick, moisturizing ointments are used.
  • Trim fingernails to reduce problems from scratching. At night, patients can wear cotton socks on their feet or gloves on their hands to prevent scratching while asleep.
  • If the rash is oozing, doctors may prescribe a lotion to dry the rash and an antibiotic to treat infection. If the rash is on the face, do not use a corticosteroid product.
  • Stay indoors, in air conditioning in hot weather. This avoids sweating and the itchiness it causes.
  • Use a humidifier in the winter to keep skin from drying out.
  • Avoid wool, polyester, wrinkle-resistant, flame-retardant or scratchy fabrics in clothes and bedding. Wear open-weave, loose fitting cotton or cotton blend garments. Wash new clothes before wearing.
  • Reduce indoor allergens, particularly dust mites, by washing bedding in hot water, removing rugs, stuffed furniture, stuffed toys and curtains where possible.
  • When doing housework, wear plastic or rubber gloves or latex gloves lined with cotton.
  • Avoid stress, which can add to flare-ups. Patients often feel angry and frustrated by the chronic itching. Parents need to find ways to let children with atopic dermatitis express feelings. Professional counseling may help. Know that with proper treatment the condition can be controlled and it will improve with age. Many methods to reduce stress are available.
  • If a link with food has been diagnosed, eliminate it from the patient's diet. This will reduce symptoms, but not always get rid of them.
  • Use liquid laundry detergent that is unscented and mild. Avoid fabric softeners (liquid and dryer sheets). Rinse clothing and bedding thoroughly after washing to remove detergent residue.
  • Avoid chemicals and extreme heat or cold, which can worsen the condition.
  • Use cosmetics lightly and seldom. Avoid products with perfume and dyes, and ingredients such as urea, lactic acid or other alphahydroxy acids.
What About Medication?
Topical steroids are key medications for controlling the itching and inflammation. Used immediately after bathing, they also help keep the skin hydrated. Most steroids require a prescription. Systemic corticosteroids (tablets, shots or liquids) should seldom be used. They cause flare-ups when the medications are discontinued.
Antihistamines may help relieve itching, often sedating the patient. They are most useful when given at bedtime. Antianxiety medications may also help relieve itching.
Antibiotics will treat complicating skin infections. Allergy shots will not help. In fact, they can cause the condition to worsen.
Impetigo is usually treated with oral antibiotics or, if the case is mild, topical antibiotics. Healing should begin in three days.
What If Symptoms Resist Normal Treatment?
Keep in mind that the disease can be controlled. It often takes awhile to find out the cause and the best treatment for it, though. Keep in mind also that the condition nearly always improves over time.
New drugs that prevent the skin from becoming inflamed show promise. An immunosuppressive agent (tacgolimus) has shown promise in both adults and children with atopic dermatitis.

SOURCE: This information should not substitute for seeking responsible, professional medical care. First created 1995; fully updated 1998; most recently updated 2005. © Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA)


 That's it po! I would just like to say that what helps me might not work on you.  Every babies have its different types of skin and conditions which vary from its severity.  Skin asthma is a long-term skin condition and needs regular treatment. It is imperative that you consult a dermatologist or a qualified skin specialist if the condition persists or symptoms are accompanied with fever and pain.

Thank you for reading!
First of all, I would like to apologize for this post is a three-day delay =(. I should have posted it last Friday when I'm done doing it, however, I finished at 3am in the morning already then days have passed and I was so busy attending Halloween parties back and forth with the kids of course.  

Anyway, first, I would still like to show you how I did the Halloween treat bags for the school event of my daughter Yani.  These treat bags are so easy to do and are perfect for treat giving and other festive gift giving activities. The other one was the Frankenstein bucket that I made for Gabo.  I didn't like to buy him a ready made pumpkin bucket that can be bought in department stores because it's expensive for me already hehe.  And DIY is the thing now! Its much more fun to personalized things with me having to say that its waaaaay inexpensive too =).

Part 1:
Supplies needed to make your own Halloween treat bags:
  • white extra small kraft/paper bag size 6.5x3.5x2in (stay away from plastic as much as possible)
  • scissors
  • glue
  • scotch tape (half an inch)
  • cut out monster prints/designs 
  • assorted candies and chocolates
Step 1: Start by cutting your desired monster prints.  I found mine in the fickle pickle blogspot.


Cute monster grins right?

 

I like to personalized Yani's treat bags so I edited the print.  I added a text below that says "Love, Yani" so that her classmates would know that it came from her. =)


Here are the cut out products:


You can ask someone to help you cut the circle tag and the different grins if you're in a hurry.  My fingers felt a little pain while cutting because they were 100 pieces all in all (50 circle tags and fifty grins) whew!

Step 2:  Put the assorted candies and/or chocolates inside the kraft paper bag.  Put a generous amount but be sure to leave a space (atleast 2 inches from above) so that you can still fold and seal it.

extra small kraft paper bag (around 50-60 pesos)

Assorted candies and chocolates

Step 3: Once all the kraft bags are packed with treats, you’ll have to fold it from above facing you, and seal it with a scotch tape first just to secure it, then paste the circle tags covering the tape.  Finally, paste the grins just below the circle tags.
Tadahhhhh!
Cutie little monsters!!!

Yani's bucket of treats!
I just spent 320 pesos for this 50 pcs. fabulous Halloween treats! Winner!
Part 2:
Supplies needed to make your own Halloween Frankenstein bucket :
  • unused milk can (you can also use unused paint can)
  • corrugated paper (green)
  • 1 piece of black art paper
  • glue
  • scissors
  • hammer and nail
  • black ribbon
the hammer and the nail were not in the picture because it still in the process of finding it ;p

Step 1: Cover the whole body of milk can with the green corrugated paper.  I loooove corrugated papers co'z they give extra craftiness and texture instead of using a plain one.



Step 2:  Draw a zigzag or triangle along the edge of the black art paper and cut it.  Try to make it as irregular as possible.  Paste it around the top of the milk can.  It will serve as the Frankenstein's hair.   It should look like this:




Step 3:  Draw two small circles and two larger circles.  The two smaller circle should be black and the other two should be white.  Paste the two black circles at the top of the two white circles.  Those will serve as the eyes of Franky.




Step 4:  Cut thin strips of black art paper that will serve as Franky's stitches.  Paste it just below his right eye.  Also, draw a wiggly line and cut it to be placed at the bottom that will serve as his mouth.




Step 5:  Finally, using a hammer and nail, put a small hole at the upper left and right side of the can.  The size of the hole must be enough for you to put the ribbon and tie at both ends that will serve as the handle for the Franky bucket.


Meet my cousin ;p
There he is with his big buddy! 




I only spent 55 pesos for this!!! Another winner!


My kids ate a lot of the candies before I even put it inside the bag haha!

Happy Halloween and Happy Crafty folks!

Hello, I'm Celin!

Hi! I'm Ma. Celin Mendoza but Celin will do. I'm a peace worker, youngest daughter, entrepreneur, contented wife, devoted and meticulous mom of 3 June's and a DIY addict!!! This blog will be your ultimate partner in crime when the going gets tough =) Want to do something interesting together? Shoot me an email to: macelinmendoza@gmail.com

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