Tuesday, September 23, 2014

For 11 Years ....






Today is 23rd of September 2014. I have a friend celebrating a birthday and aside from that, today I will have to rejoice as well. No, it's not my birthday too but it's WWW.MY-SECRET-CORNER.COM's 11th Year Anniversary. OMgosshhhhh 11 years ? I just couldn't believe I had been managing all those years with my beads . Whhooaaaaaa !!!.

11 years and I am now seeing the fruits of my labor . First, I just won a Bronze Medal for my entry at Fire Mountain Gems's Seed Bead Contest 2014,



I was jumping in joy when they confirmed via email that I had won. Geezzz.. it was my very 1st time to join a major contest overseas and immediately I got a place. I'm so proud of myself ... hoooorraaayyyy !

Secondly, I am now officially listed in Fire Mountain Gem's Contest Artists . That means people all over the world can see me,  know me and see the jewelries I had created. It's a big leap from just being a word of mouth coz now they can see my picture and name published on the web. Yeeee hhaaaaaa !!!

Thirdly, good things just keep on coming these days. My 1st ever Jewellery fashion show held last Friday night at Tree Lizard@Dempsey here in Singapore was even a success. It wasn't that huge impact but it had left some nice memories and impressions to everyone who came for the event. Thanks to all of you for your support !



All attendees were offered a good dinner followed by good quality Oyster Bay Wines from New Zealand. Guests, men and women alike were so delighted not only by the food and wines and beautiful models all over the place but also because of my unique jewelries presented that night .



Ms Zeenat B. Ho ( Mrs Asian World Singapore 2014 ) wearing the Garnet Crystal Necklace that was sold that night.


Ms Connie Kramzer wearing a double layered long necklace with ceramic / Foil Glass beads and a matchin pair of earrings,



Ms. Jho Salac (  Miss Goddess Queen Singapore 2014 ) wearing a Lemon Quartz / Turquoise double layered necklace with matching earrings.

Ms Phoebe Cullen wearing a Ruby inspired Circles Of Hope 2014 Collection necklace and earrings.

Ms. Ayin Llorente  ( Mrs Singapore Media Queen 2013 ) wearing the MOP 2 layered resin necklace , earrings and bracelet set.




Ms Jane G Chua ( Elite Mrs. Singapore Universal Beauty  2012 ) wearing the Pearls and White Crystal  Circles Of Hope 2014 collection necklace and earrings.

Aside from the adult female models. I also had 3 little cute kiddie ones who also strutted on the red carpet.

Meerta is just 4 y/o and youngest of the group.





Caoimhe Jade Bennett from Impact Models was wearing the red color of Circles Of Hope 2014 collection for kids consisting of Necklace, Bangle, Earrings and ring.






Stephanie Ho ( Ms Princess Asian World 2013 )  holding the My-SECRET-Corner Logo.








Job well done to all my lovely models!

The Fashion dinner night ended up with some picture taking of some of the guests , 




and with me + all the models too !


In behalf of WWW.MY-SECRET-CORNER.COM, reaching 11 years with you all around me made a very big difference in my life as a crafter and I truly thank you all for being here for me .



Thank you
Thank You 
Thank you !!!


Sunday, August 31, 2014






August 31, 2014 ~  Eventhough Singapore had been having rains and showers over the weeks, life I would say had been treating me well that I am so inspired to create more beaded stuffs in the comfort of our home.

In the process of making an August birthstone ( Peridot ) themed kid's crystal bangle witl organza flower.

Peridot Flower Bangle for August 2014

I had been so busy trying to create enough items to fill up the "Circles of Hope Collection" that would be showcased in my upcoming event to be held at Tree Lizard @ Dempsey. on Sept. 19, 2014. Please note of the time and date and if you're just around, come over and join us ! I am now in the process as well of preparing lucky draw prizes to some lucky attendees.




Presently, I am now doing early preparations for the said event. I had designed the Flyers ,had them  printed and  now being distributed to promote the activity !

I know that prior planning prevents pissed, poor performance and I wanna make sure that things are in the right places for the big event. I'll be writing more details about my collection in a few days time after I had completed the sets of jewelries. I'm getting excited thinking that my creations would be worn and modelled for the 1st time in a nice venue in collaboration with a friend who is part owner of the said Restaurant in Dempsey Hill.  She and I would be helping a charity  (  Tree Lizard & I shall be supporting the stray dogs in Singapore )  with part of the proceeds of the event to be donated to buy food for the strays.



But despite of my beading and event preparations on going at this moment, I couldn't help myself from watching a lot of videos lately about rescued dogs on Youtube. Especially those of  Eldad Hagar ( I had subscribed on his channel too ! ) who had been rescuing strays dogs all these years . Please visit their website at www.hopeforpaws.org and see the wonderful job they had been  doing for these furkids from the streets. If you would like to donate to help them, pls do so by going to their webpage too.



There were times that by just sitting on my beading chair while working on my designs and at the same time turning my head watching random videos, I can't help crying my eyes out. So many shocking videos of animal abuse and lots of rescue videos that would melt your heart. These videos are a good source of  knowledge about stray dogs.






So many poor animals all over the world had been suffering from human neglect, abuse and I don't know anymore how to describe these heartless people capable of inflicting so much suffering to these  helpless creatures. I had felt anger ( past tense ), feeling angry ( present tense ) and would be feeling more angry ( future tense ) in the future towards these inhumane creatures walking on earth calling themselves human beings if their abuse continues. Shame , shame , shame on these people!

Don't they ever realize that animals are just like us who feel pain, love, joy, mourning, and loss ?  These animals are by far more loving than us and far more loyal. Haayyzzzz.... so sad to see what is happening in the world nowadays. Lucky there are good samaritans like people from rescue organizations and welfare groups here in Singapore and overseas who continously rescue animals from the streets and  in the shelters. I big salute to all these kind hearted human beings !

Below is my most favorite video so far that would surely squeeze all the tears out of your body... trust me... it will never fail to make you cry !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVf9GVHw8s0



By the way, Please visit Exclusively Mongrels Limited who is urgently seeking help from generous donors who could somehow contribute for their much needed medical funds for a sick dog living in a shelter named Buddy .



Your contributions big or small would be highly appreciated.
It's not too late to make a difference so please help if you can ...

Thank You !



Monday, July 07, 2014

Life at 70 ... awwwwwww !




July 7, 2014 ~  My mom is now in her 70's just like my father too. For her special day on 1st of July this year, I travelled from Singapore to Philippines to be able to find her a much needed wheelchair and movable bed in Bambang with the help and assistance of my brother and step-sister. I had been near Bambang area about 27 years ago when I gave birth to my 1st daughter in a hospital nearby. This place is not a place you'll dream of going to , filthy, suspicious looking people wandering all over the place ( watch out for pick pockets here too ) ... but it's well known for the reasonably priced medical equipments so it's the main reason why I went there. My sister got her car so going there was pretty easy but going back to my hotel was quite a problem coz the big boxes of equipment filled up all the seats in her small car. Ooopppsssss !
. So brother and I took the local LRT ( Light Rail Transit ) back to where I stay in Makati. Geezzz... I had never ridden LRT for so many years ! I was excited to be in there again despite of the crowd staring at me coz maybe I looked and dressed up differently .... LOL!

 
I decided to buy the wheelchair from this shop coz I saw a lot of buyers going in and out... hint ... they have good service and price for sure !

Brother Rowel and sister Wincess waiting for all things I had purchased to be properly packed.


Bambang LRT station ... just took us less than 15 mins to reach Makati from Bambang. Wow !

Lucky for me I had saved a bit of money from my monthly allowance so I was able to buy mom what she badly needed for her condition , a much needed wheelchair and some additional medical supplies..



For her birthday on  the1st of July , I surely surprised her with something she had been asking for. A wheelchair that can transport her out of the place where she and the family of my youngest brother live presently. I invited my  aunties and uncles she had never seen for a while to cheer her up plus I got her a Red Ribbon Black Forest Cake that she loves to eat too. She couldn't even wait till we start singing her a happy birthday song that she started nibbling on the cherries of the cake immediately like a kid . My poor mom !

Due to sickness and old age she cannot walk on her own anymore after few strokes and damages done by her falls in our bathroom floor. It's really very dangerous for old people in their early 70's to be walking on wet floors while alone at home. Slipping accidents are innevitable, she had even fallen on the living room floor  when I was on vacation there a few years back. She was way too heavy I couldn't even lift her up from the floor so I told her to slide up bit by bit till she can turn and go on her knees so she can hold on to the chair beside her. It was an experience I would never forget with her that day.

She's now most of the time in her bed and couldn't even sit on her own to feed. Just like a baby being fed and with pampers being changed. It's not the usual sight I used to see when I come home a few years back before. I used to see her walking around most of the time by the kitchen either cooking or washing something. I can even still remember her watering her pots of plants beside our house.


 How she loves her flowering Gumamelas, orchids and some other flowering plants adorning the sides of our old house. She was born with a green thumb coz her plants always had flowers to cheer us up !


How I miss those beautiful and memorable sights now. I'm sure she misses it more than I do too. Just a pity that people comes to this part of their lives when they can't do what they used to do. This is a feeling I would surely hate to experience but its a fact that time will come, we won't be able to avoid it.

Life is not easy in the Philippines for old people like my mom. Without physical help from my siblings, she won't be able to see what's happening outside the house. She has no idea what life is about out there unless her wheelchair gets pushed out of the door and rolled to the streets by my other half sister who can only do it once she's off from work once in a week. So my poor mom is just laying on her bed 6 days a week. Lucky if weather is good so she can breath some air outside. If it's rainy, no luck to see anything but hear the gushing wind and the drops of rain hittng the walls and glass windows beside her bed.

I always hope that mom can again stand on her own and walk a bit one day. Her mind is still very much alert although her voice had soften and had almost dissappeared . She's like whispering when she tries to say something these days. She just nods her head when she says yes or no. I felt so frustrated seeing her like this but since I'd been living here in Singapore far away from everyone, I can't do much to help her either. It makes me feel so sad .....

My sadness gets solved from time to time by going out with friends and family wherever I go . I'm blessed with good family and great friends around me . Thank God for that sincerely !







and of course doing my beading whenever I'm at home too .




So far, when I'm not partying with people, beading is still my best therapy ever aside from being busy with house chores which I do all by myself every single day.

I know my back problem hits me like a big rock crushing on me sometimes but I'm pretty ok still compared to my mom  in the Philippines. I can still luckily sit on my own and create my beaded creations whenever I want to , not like her .

I can also still enjoy taking my grandsons somewhere when I'm on vacation in the Philippines and enjoy my time with them eventhough I can't carry them due to my back problem.

Grandson Raphael enjoying the supermarket cart ride !
So happy to see smiling little faces when they picked me up in Manila.

I just hope old age doesn't get too harsh with me someday like what it had done to my mom. I don't wanna be bedridden nor not be able to go outside and play with grandchildren nor not be able to bead anymore. OMG... I must be feelin horrible if my beading stops one day and can't do anything much !

Old age gets me worried somehow ... imagine life at 70 ?
All I can say is ...... awwwwwwwwww !


 
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