Wednesday, April 25, 2012

flea market finds: designer duds!

for a change, i've decided to post some of the designer duds i found last week :)  
this is a Dolce&Gabbana women's straight-leg, distressed boyfriend jeans (could be worn by boyfriend too!) 
size 31, long, inseam 34
here's a detail shot of the leather trademark in the back pocket
this next one is an Esprit de Corps washed denim mini skirt with metal rivets or studs along the front and back pockets (size 38)
 how cute and current is that!?!
detail shot of the trademark above the left-hand side back pocket
last but certainly not the least is this cute and sassy Guess? by Guess Jeans sleeveless and stretch Sienna vest
size XS with a sexy back!  (great with layering especially over a plain white T!) check out the trademark triangle logo!
here's a detail of the trademark :)


ALL are in excellent condition!


*linking to Flea Market Finds @ Her Library Adventures! :)

Sunday, April 22, 2012

que hora es?

what time is it?  

bought this Timex kid's watch for a song at the carboot sale last saturday too.  problem was, it wasn't working.  the lady selling it said it prolly just needed a battery.
so off i went to the indian shop and bought a teeny-tiny battery that cost more than the price of the watch!  good news was, it is now tick-tocking happily :)  


but how can i update the look?  i love the fun purple elastic band but i wanted to make it look more current and also appropriate for me (without losing the fun factor, of course)
 the solution? RIBBONS!
and the best part is: i can change the ribbons anyday, anytime, anywhere to any color and design i want!
please excuse the upside-down-ness of my watch in the last pic.  i didnt notice it till i was reviewing this post :)

time to pay more attention to details!

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Field Notes of A Happy Wife

"... Oh Lord, deliver me from the dishes tonight..."


How did you choose me, you ask one day.

I don’t know, I replied.  There were probably reasons, I know, but for the life of me I can’t recall them now.  I guess instincts took over.  And I always trust my instincts.

We were different people then.  We had different priorities and different backgrounds and different everything.  Sometimes those differences became points of conflict, other times they offer glimpses into our childhood which explained a lot why we are the way we are today.  But whenever one of those conversations took us down that unpalatable route, one thing’s for sure… there was always this strong pull from within reminding us why we are together in the first place.

So today, in honor of your birthday, I think it is just magnanimously important to put into writing thirty-seven of the many good reasons why I chose you.  This way, when we go through choppy waters, or through the many challenges life will throw our way, I will be reminded why I said “I do” to you in the first place. 

This is my own little way of letting you know not just how much I value all the things that you bring into the marriage table but also so that you will see that there are things great and small about you that make our marriage a wonderful place to be.

1. We are incredibly different from each other that we make life and being together so interesting.  We complement each other.  In some areas, you are strong when I am not and vice versa.   You keep me grounded and I help you realize your many potentials.

2. But despite these differences, we are also remarkably similar in many respects – we have the same attitude towards money, family, priorities, friends, etc.

3. You got my back. Always.  I know that you are always there for me.  I know that you are always 100% behind me.  This is hugely important to me especially that I am far away from my family and friends.

4. I can be myself when I am with you without fear of ridicule or rejection.  Most days I have a very strong personality.  I say what I mean and I mean what I say.  I can be matter of fact and speak without regard to how my words can affect another person.  I can be overly passionate about my cause.  I am a work in progress but what I like is that you are quick to put me in check when I am wrong… in your gentlest and most understanding ways.

5. You pray with me.

6. You always try to cheer me up and buy me ice cream when its “one of those days”. I don’t know how or what it is exactly but I am always generally in a better mood whenever you are around.

7. You are a good cook… and an excellent baker too!  You can totally rock an apron with confidence.

8. You have a beautiful singing voice.  Not a lot of people know it but when you sing, you can transform a room into a happy place.

9. I love your goofy banana dance and then we would laugh like howler monkeys whenever you do it.

10. You like to snuggle and your big bear hugs are the coziest.

11. You are very imaginative.  I love how you are becoming in your creative side.  You pay painstaking attention to detail whenever you are working on your acrylic paintings or military figures.  The concentration you pour into making something so beautiful tells me that you will not compromise when it comes to things that are important to you.

12. You are responsible and dependable.  When you promised my mother you will take care of me,  that became your life’s mission and vision.

13. You are always clean and neat and well-groomed.   You love classic pieces and the finer things in life.  You like to take care of yourself.

14. You love to read!  Of course, you are a history buff and you love reading up on military history and strategy, whodunits and suspense but you are also open to reading other genres which is just so admirable.  A man who reads is definitely SEXY!

15. You never leave home without a kiss goodbye and when you come home, there’s always a kiss hello too.

16. I appreciate everyday you’ve gone to work even when you don’t feel like it.

17.  You have great friends.  Sure they might not be perfect, but they are some of the most respectful, caring and helpful men I have ever met.  Birds of the same feather,  flock together.  I am glad you are always in good company.

18.  You like my friends (especially the ones we had wonderful dinners with) and even those you haven’t met yet and yes, even the ones I don’t particularly care about.

19. You are not easily angered.  Well, there are of course things that make you angry (like when you’re driving, everybody becomes an idiot) but when it comes to me you encompass one major part of 1 Corinthians 13’s description of love… it is not easily angered.  I wish I knew how you do it, but you make me want to become a better person everyday.

20. You give me space and freedom.  This is important to me because I grew up in a matriarchal household and brought up to be a decision-maker, an independent thinker and a financial guru before reaching puberty.  On the other hand, you grew up with a house full of people and is perfectly fine having someone around all of the time.  You are totally fine with my me-time and I like that we can be silent and do our own thing and not feel like one of us is ignoring the other.

21. You drive safely (because there are so many idiots on the road!).

22. You always believed I can be a good writer.

23. You are home to me.  You know, home, that place where I can put aside all pretensions and be accepted for the person i really am at my very core.  You are the only person that allows me to be me without judgement.  I can’t imagine not having you as the person who accepts me, flaws and all, to share my life with.

24. You are my best friend.  I talk a lot and sometimes I talk your ear off but you always listen to my nonsense and share in my joy and sadness.  You are the keeper of my secrets and my favorite travel buddy.

25. You bring me breakfast even if you came from night shift.

26. You like long walks… even if sometimes I grumble halfway through.

27.  You are proud of me.  I can find the best value for our money in almost anything and get a lower rate without compromising quality (holidays, designer clothes, cutlery and crockery, a bag of rice, milk, etc.)  I can make old things look like new again.  I can take an idea and make it come to life.  There are a ton of things I can do better than you and a ton of things you can do better than me.  But what I love about you is that there is no man-pride associated with any of this.  You are not afraid to ask me for help because you know I was placed by God in your life to be your help mate.

28. You love movies as much as I do.  We both love being outdoors but we also love nothing better than to spend a gloomy winter’s day or a Sunday afternoon curled up on the couch with a bunch of “talkies”.

29. You help me with the housework and the dishes.  Because clutter is NOT sexy!

30. You are patient and kind.  You don’t have a cruel or mean bone in your body.  You are pretty tolerant of everyone and everything.  You love unconditionally. 
(but I know one or two people who have hurt you and it is unforgivable)

31. You are very affectionate.  You are also very private in your affections.  I also love the way your hands find mine while we’re walking or in a crowded room.

32. You forgive me.

33. You live for the moment and for that you remind me not to take life so seriously.

34. Babies and kids love you!  I trust them as good judges of character.  You are also gentle and not afraid to be silly with them.  I just know you will be a great father one day.

35. I love the way you call me “baby”.  And how your beautiful green eyes light up when you say it.

36. I love the way you give me the remote all the time.

37. I love your openness to try new things with me, be it food or books or our next destination.


This list was so easy to write, but also hard because I had to limit it to just 37 reasons when I can think of at least a million!  I love you with all of my heart, soul and life and I hope and pray we will have many days and many years to come so I can show you more and more reasons why you will always be THE ONE. 

Happy 37th Birthday baby!

Friday, April 20, 2012

another Versatile Blogger Award

... from the personal style blogger Wendy of Salt and Wine!  (yes, guys, she's one and the same from where i got the Liebster Award too)  if you are looking for healthy recipes and great one-of-a-kind thrift kinds,  do check out her blog and her Etsy shop Mom's by MomsVintageFinds :) muchas gracias Wendy!




The rules (if you choose to accept)

  1. Grab the Versatile Blogger button. 
  2. Thank the person who nominated you.  
  3. Include a link to their blog. 
  4. Share 7 things about yourself. 
  5. Pass along the love! Nominate 15 of your favorite blogs. 
  6. Inform each nominee with a comment on their blog. 
  7. In the same post include this set of rules.       

7  Random Things About Myself



(1) i am a regular volunteer for Clean Up The World (our place, our planet, our responsibility)


(2) i love contemporary fusion art such as this recent post from Apartment Therapy, "adding monsters to thrift store paintings" :) awesome!


(3) i secretly want to be on the cover of a fashion magazine ssshhhhh! hhehehe


(4) everyday, i live my life in gratitude :) thank you life!


(5) i am not afraid to laugh at myself at all times :00)) i am laughing now as we speak (or as i write?)!


(6) i always have a little notebook wherever I go. they serve as my journal to record my triumphs and my defeats, my meditations and my musings, my drawings and my color palettes, my mood board. my look-book.


(7) like wendy, i too am perpetually young at heart :) i love the little girl in me :)  i made a promise to myself never to lose my sense of wonder :)  and for this,  a song for all the youngs-at-heart out there






and since almost all of my favorite bloggers have the Versatile Award already, let me just list down a new found favorite :)


Jenni of Abandoned Antlers


peace!

Monday, April 16, 2012

flea market finds: accessories for the home

taa-daaah! here are my amazing finds from last saturday :)
i have been wanting a nativity scene for Christmas but i could never find one that i like so when i found the one above with vibrant colors for .20p each, who am i to argue?
i have quite a collection of turquoise, teal, aquamarine-colored vases at home so those are really what i have my eyes on when i go to the flea. bought for .50p each, i have two more to add to my ever-growing menagerie :)  
i love wooden animals and this graceful gazelle was only .50p!  now, he sits with my books :)
i also love and collect wooden toys so i also bought this brain teaser puzzles :)  they have so much character than the plastic ones IMO :)
these beautiful terracotta butterflies are from France and for .20 each box, i took all three :)  they would be perfect for my arts and crafts!

another christmas find is this set of mandarin clove and cinnamon room scenters' tealights from M&S.  at the back, it says it can last up to 4 hours! not bad for .20p :)  i can just imagine how amazing the house would smell come christmas!
i have a soft spot for classic books that i've read when i was growing up so i rummaged through 3 boxes of books before i saw these three :)  i haven't read George Orwell's 1984 but i have read the other two.


honestly though, i haven't done much reading lately.  i am hoping i will be able to finish Jack Kerouac's On The Road soon so i can start another one :)


*linking to Flea Market Finds @Her Library Adventures and Thrift Share Monday @Apron Thrift Girl :)

Sunday, April 15, 2012

where the beautiful things are

... is also where i will be!  and that's a car boot sale!
 might i also add, it is THE one and only car boot affair here in Gib!
... which is pretty much a once-a-year happening!  but nonetheless, at least there is one and am happy :)  let me walk you through all the stuff i found and left behind at the car boot sale:
i love a good ole rocking chair... but we don't have that much space in our flat  so i had to leave him behind
i have been looking for a footstool, or an ottoman or a beanbag to put around the house so when i saw this cane beauty i had to stop myself from buying him right then and there...  in the end i had to leave him behind too... when i showed this pic to the mister, his words were, "not another chess set!"  and i didn't even notice that!
vintage designer shoes!  the heels were too high for me though :P
a beautiful sewing box with wheels that could possibly double as a side table!
what's a car boot sale without an owl?  he was the only one i saw there i swear :)
 colorful pretty little boxes and bracelets from Nepal
 a cute seashell carriage pulled by dolphins aaawwwwwww :)
a bin full of wrestling dolls or action figures. this could possibly make a little boy happy!
a goth punk-rocker baby with furry hands wearing a lumberjack shirt, pjs and black school shoes!!!  a fashion revolution ya think? 
 can i say bike one more time?
 i love this book of Russian fairy tales but the price was beyond my limit
wanted to buy this for the mister but i hesitated because this is something you just see and read once and then relegated to a corner afterwards so i left it behind
yes, that is indeed a sink, ladies and gentlemen!
 a treadmill too!
i circled the whole lot thrice before i went home making sure i did't miss anything :) ("..circled"???? sheesshhh i make it sound like am a vulture!)  but before i called it a day, i bought one of these pretty little things :)  yum!


i'll show you my finds tomorrow, promise!

Saturday, April 14, 2012

the Liebster Blog Award

this little blog of mine has just been awarded the Liebster Blog Award -- whoop whoop!  this award is given to blogs with less than 200 followers that recognizes the blog author's creative writing and dedication.  it also helps to bring blog owners together to exchange ideas and information. 
i received this nomination from the lovely Wendy of Salt and Wine, a dedicated, photography-lovin', healthy-livin', music-groovin' style maven and thrifter extraordinaire blessed with great, great taste from sunny Florida :)


i have been blogging for close to three years now and have never thought i would meet a whole lot of talented, creative, gorgeous and wonderful people from all over the world. 


it is with a big smile that i accept this award and as much as i am giddy to be able to nominate five awesome blogs for this award, alas! all of my favorites already have Liebster awards!  (yes they are THAT awesome!)  so to compensate, i would like to take you through 5 of my must-not-miss reads :)


(1) From Me To You, a photography blog by Jamie from NYC who collects vintage cameras and old typewriters.  she has the most AWESOME photos ever, i promise!


(2) My Marrakesh, Maryam Montague's "... bemused tale of an American family's quest to build a guest house in Marrakesh", Morocco is undoubtedly the best life and style blog in Africa.  you will be bowled over by her taste in "anthropological  and strange objects" and furnishings :)


(3) Queen of Fifty Cents, 'nuff said! 


(4) Yard Sale Bloodbath, started by two friends, you'll understand why it has the words "blood" and "bath" when you read their blogs :)


(5) my fifth entry is actually not a blog but a powerful story about creativity, of not giving up, of the power of the imagination and of dreams and the people who propel those dreams :)


The Liebster Blog Award rules:
1. Thank the person who gave you the award.
2. Link back to their blog.
3. Copy and paste the Liebster award to your profile.
4. Pick 5 blogs that you feel deserve to be in the spotlight (they must have @200 followers or under).
5. Blog about it and leave a comment for your nominations to let them know that you have chosen their blog.

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Happy Easter!

... from two good eggs living on a Rock :)

Friday, April 6, 2012

this piggy went to market

wednesdays are market days in La Linea, the Spanish town just right next to the border from Gib.  markets are an intrinsic part of Spanish life, giving local communities with a cornucopia of products ranging from herbs and spices to leather shoes and bags, curtain fabrics to fresh fruit and vegetables.

i love going to markets!  it is a feast for the eyes and a fantastic opportunity for  me to check out what the locals are buying as well as buying locally-produced goods and produce.  it is also a way for me to practice my dodgy spanish! 

its always fun to visit the market with a friend so you can have a laugh or two or share your opinions about what is on sale.  i went with my good friend Lyra and we spent 3 whole hours combing stall after stall of beautiful artisan goods. 
 pretty ribbons of all colors for your hair
 these colorful fruit-and-berry-inspired dolls are ridiculously adorable :)
pom-pom ribbons in every color imaginable!  for all your sewing needs :)
 knitted tops for spring and summer 
 scarves, scarves and more scarves!  i bought one here for my sister for €2.
just look at these cute baby shoes strung up in a laundry line :)
leopard leggings anyone?
bikini season is just a few months away!
i also bought my favorite almond-stuffed olives for a song :)
can't wait for next week!  i am looking out for laurel leaves and figs and peaches and of course, by any chance, my favorite guayabas :)