Anyone who has the time and patience to make anything handmade is definitely a hero in my book, and as some of you know, I’ve been posting about everything-DIY for years ((Maybe even before the term DIY caught on locally)) so I thought, ok, for once I’ll show (and not just tell).
Project #1: Purse organizer

A 2003 issue of Real Simple ((One of my all-time favorite magazines — I hound Booksale outlets for back issues at least once a month. 😀)) featured a Purseket, an organizer that you can transfer from bag to bag and I thought “what a brilliant idea!” since I, just like every other girl, switch bags whenever the mood strikes me. (And I hate being out on the road and then realizing that oops, my license is in my other bag!) ((It’s actually happened to me a couple of times. When it does, I just drive ever-so-carefully and pray that I don’t run into violations.)) It looked fairly easy to make too so I rummaged for unused fabric and proceeded to make my own version… tadah!

There’s a pocket for everything I need when I go out: my cellphone, palm pilot, wallet, license holder, hairbrush, powder compact/tissue/blotting paper, and pen. The best thing is that it can conform to any size bag.

Here’s how to do it, it’s as easy as 1-2-3!
You will need two sheets of fabric (any kind but ideally, the stiffer, the better ((Mine’s kinda flimsy as you can see, but hey, it does its job.))), approximately 25″ x 6″; needle and thread; and velcro fasteners.

Get the measurements of each of the items you want to put inside the pockets.

Plot the layout and then cut the fabric to size, doubling the height so it can be folded over. Baste to hold the folds in place. Make two of these sheets and then form pockets by stitching them together along the lines according to your measurements.

Stick velcro fasteners along the edges and voila, you now have your very own purseket-a-like.

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I also did some spring cleaning and found an old pair of jeans that I don’t wear anymore ((Well, they don’t fit anymore, sigh. Besides, it’s baston.)) so I fashioned it into a vest for our dear little kitty.

It’s a bit crude since I got too lazy to hem the edges but Abbas seems to like it anyway. ((Abbas: “Lies! All lies!”)) The red satin ribbon “belt” is from a gift we received last Christmas and the button is from one of Arn’s old shirts.

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And finally, I also want to share with you my humble attempt at graphic storytelling — in fact it’s so far been my only attempt. The comic appeared in Ramon de Veyra‘s Hey Comics! anthology that came out in 2004. Um… hope you like it. 🙂

(It’s only 3-pages long, click here.)

Yahoo, the Wedding Essentials team’s newest baby, Beautiful Weddings 2006, will be available at all leading bookstores and mag stands starting this week.

So, just what is Beautiful Weddings? It’s a collection of wonderfully inspiring stories celebrating beautiful beginnings by real brides and will be sold for only Php 120.00 – a real steal for something almost as good as love!
It’s been a little over two years now since our EIC Marbee called me to discuss the possibility of building ((Yep, the task daunted us very much since both of us are from advertising and have had no experience in the world of magazine publishing, ever.)) a wedding magazine together. From scratch! It’s been her wish to come out with something like it and I guess it took her by surprise that it was a dream project for me too. And whaddya know, since then, we’ve released four thick volumes and I can wholeheartedly say that yes, with equal parts passion and determination, and a whole lot of crazy logic, it can be done.
Every WE issue is as exciting to work on as the last one. How is that possible, you ask? I guess it’s because (1) both Marbee and I have a love affair with weddings (well you can tell by how I obsessively lovingly planned mine); (2) I can’t ask for a nicer team of girls to work with – Marbs, Charlene and Ria are always full of fresh ideas and are a ton of fun to be with. More importantly, we share the same vision about what we want to convey through the mag: that “beautiful weddings” are not restricted to celebrities and people in high society. That no matter what budget you have, you can have the wedding of your dreams.; and (3) I get to flex my dormant – now – that – I’m – out – of – advertising creative muscles. Planning the design and layout of 250+ pages ain’t no picnic, my friend, but it’s a great big challenge each time.
That said, I know you’ve heard this enough from me but please, please support Wedding Essentials and WE Beautiful Weddings. We may be novices in the field but you can be sure that everything we do comes straight from the heart.
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So how have you been? After I finished working on the magazines, I wanted to be away from the computer as much as possible so I took the chance to catch up on Veronica and the gang at Neptune ((I finished watching both seasons already! I want more! More, I tell you!)) and it’s official: I’m hooked. The following video is for Lia and Neva and everyone else who loves the show: Go, watch, and sing-along.
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By the way, I’ve somewhat been busy at the Phlog and in Multiply.

Hip-hip-hurrah! Yes, there is reason to rejoice because the fourth issue of our magazine, Wedding Essentials (July-Dec 2006), is now available at all leading bookstores and magazine stands. Hope you can check it out (pretty please?) Marbee, Charlene, Ria, the staff, and I have been working on it since January this year.

In this issue, we celebrate sometihng close to home, the Filipiniana wedding.

Who says it has to be confined to pina, jusi, and barongs? Who says there is only one true Filipina? Wedding Essentials explores what Filipiniana is in this issue. Four beautiful brides, each representing a Filipina archetype (chinita, dusky, mestiza, and morena) grace the gorgeous fabric (yes, fabric!) cover of this constantly innovative magazine. Be inspired by over 250 pages containing gorgeous bouquets, top designers’ beautiful reflections on what Filipiniana is, picturesque setups and venues, and dream themes ranging from Victorian Elegance to Romantic Hacienda. Truly the quintessential guide for the modern bride, Wedding Essentials, as always, has happy stories from recent brides, tips from industry experts, and many ideas for every detail of your dream wedding…from the invitation to the honeymoon.
For those who’d like to experience the making of WE4, I’ve just uploaded a ton of behind the scenes photos.
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For the past few weeks, WE4, the Beautiful Weddings special, Veronica Mars ((Thanks to Lia for giving me a copy of the entire first season of the series, I am now a devoted follower. Go pirates!)) and life in general ((Of course I’d rather spend my free time with Arn, Abbas and with friends and family rather than the computer, diba?)) has kept me away from this blog. Regular programming will resume as soon as time allows it.

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UPDATE: There are new pics in the phlog!