Hearts in our window

Last week of March 2020. One time while walking around our residential complex, I noticed that some of our neighbors have already put hearts on their windows. Naaliw ako. I was already familiar with the concept -- wherein people are decorating their windows with hearts and messages of hope to remind others that we are all in this together -- kaya natuwa ako na may gumagawa na rin pala nito sa community namin.  Syempre kelangan naming maki-join. Unang project ko ito sa gitna ng pandemya. 

At last, nagamit ko rin ang sangkatutak na colored papers na pinagbibili ko dati pa, karamihan mga bitbit ko pa from Pinas. The hearts kasi have to be colorful, hindi puro red kasi magmumukhang pan-Valentine's hehe.

I printed hearts on these colorful papers and cut them perfectly. I am telling you, OC ako sa cutting. Talent ko yan eh.

At syempre dahil kailangan ng rainbow to symbolize optimism that this Covid-storm shall also pass, I asked my son to color a printable rainbow template. 

I can go all out (just like some of our neighbors) but I opted for simplicity. Gusto ko medyo malinis lang tingnan at may pagka-minimalist kaya ayos na ito.

March 31, 2020. Almost 9pm na nang magsimula kaming magdikit ni Nathaniel. Night owls kami eh. I was happy na very enthusiastic din siya sa project na ito.

And here it is! Honestly, we were so thrilled! Nakakasaya pala talaga ng puso ang mga ganito!

Day time look. 

Actually inisip ko pa if we'll add more hearts pero ok na yan. Tipid-tipid din sa papel lol.

We put the remaining 10 heart cut-outs sa back side ng townhouse, sa may sliding door. I let Nathan tape them kung saan nya gusto (with a little guidance, of course).

And taraaaaaaaan! Ok naman din hehe. Again, hindi na namin dinagdagan ang hearts para hindi naman masakit sa mata. =)

It's already May 26, 2020 at almost two months na silang nakadikit sa bintana at sliding door. I have a feeling na magtatagal sila dyan... at least until next year, when the pandemic is over hopefully?

I took pictures of our neighbors decorated windows and I'll post them here soon! If you haven't done this project yet, baka gusto nyong subukan? I am telling you, it's so worth it. =)

A reminder for someday of today

I saw something like this in IG kaya ginaya ko. Just a simple reminder for someday of today.

We are still in the midst of Corona virus pandemic. Sana pwedeng ifast forward na lang ang mga araw at buwan, para pwede ng ilook-back na lang ito.

Stay safe, everyone! Unti-unti na uling binubuksan ang mga lugar at establishments not because the virus is gone but to save the dwindling economy. Let's all remember na nandyan pa rin sa Covid, patuloy na umaatake. The first wave is not even done yet pero nandyan na ang banta ng second and third wave. Basta let's be vigilant. This too shall pass.

#stayathome
#practicephysicaldistancing
#wereallinthistogether

Addicted to diamond painting

Hello! I apologize for 'abandoning' this blog for the past three weeks. I became so busy kasi with diamond painting haha!

You see, I got so stressed out with the idea of house-hunting in BC so I deliberately searched for a new hobby to keep my mind off it. At para na rin malibang ako dito sa Pinas kasi sa totoo lang, bored na ako. Sakto naman na nakita ko ito sa posts ng isang IG mom that I stalk. Yep, whenever I am left with free time, I stalk people in IG. Mga random, ordinary people lang, because I am curious on how they conduct their daily lives. Siguro I will always be a Sociologist kahit hindi na ako practicing.

Anyway, I originally wanted to go back to cross stitching so I can produce some works that I could hang in our future house. Kaso wala ng nagtitinda ng cross stitch materials dito. Hindi na yata uso? I actually have a lot of unfinished projects pero nasa Canada naman, pinadala ko when I was pregnant kaso hindi ko naman nahipo. Pero yun nga, I learned na itong diamond painting (or rhinestone art) na pala ang "in" ngayon.

I had no idea where to buy a kit so I googled. Ayun, sa Lazada pala may mga nagbebenta. Naka-experience na akong bumili sa Lazada last year so alam ko na how to order. Cash on delivery naman. For my first diamong painting project, I chose a small but colorful design. Baka kasi hindi ko magustuhan kaya subok lang muna.

My package had arrived in less than 2 days. I was so excited that I started doing it right after I opened it. Finigure out ko pa nga how. It was only after finishing it that I realized na hindi ito ang design na inorder ko. It's a "spring" tree and I ordered a "summer" tree.

Tsk, nainis talaga ako. Kasi there are sellers na nagbebenta nito ng Php399, sa ibang seller ako bumili kahit mas mahal ng Php10 kasi nga may summer tree siya (na wala sa ibang sellers) tapos iba naman pala ang ipapadala. Out of stock na malamang kasi siya na lang ang nagpo-post ng summer tree eh. So there, lesson learned pag nag-order online -- icheck talaga ang item kung tama ba.

Anyway, I finished my first ever diamond painting in less than 3 days (pasingit-singit lang yun ha). They say I was fast, pero siguro sanay lang talaga ako magcross stitch kaya madali na para sa akin. Diamond painting is definitely so much easier, super addicting din. Talagang naaliw ako.

I immediately placed another order for a bigger design. Sobrang big nga, in fact, 4 feet by 2 feet siya. Namurahan kasi ako, Php1,169 lang (free shipping pa) eh ang mahal nyan sa iba.

I was so happy when I received it kasi nasa magandang box talaga at kumpleto sa gamit. My mother was so skeptic na matatapos ko. Ang dami ko raw kasing sinimulan na cross stitch na malalaki na hindi ko tinapos. I assured her na kaya ko, pero malamang na sa Canada na. Tamang-tama kako para sa bago naming bahay.

But because I knew na mahilig din si Mamoosh sa mga ganyan, I told her igagawa ko siya ng mas maliit (at realistic tapusin agad) ng konti. Ayaw daw niya kasi nung pink tree ko (the first that I made) kasi hindi niya maintindihan. So I showed her several designs so she could choose. Inorder ko uli sa Lazada (Php598, including shipping fee).

Kaso ang palpak naman. Hindi pala siya fully beaded. Yung four flowers lang ang lalagyan ng beads. Waaah asar-talo kami ni Mamoosh, sayang ang pera! Dapat ipapa-frame ko na rin ito tulad nung pink tree kaso I couldn't force myself to pay for another Php500+ para sa pangit na diamond painting na ito.

Another lesson learned -- make sure to know all the details of what you're ordering. Hindi ko kasi inalam kung fully beaded nga ba ito o hindi. Walang nakalagay sa site so I should have messaged the seller, tsk. Saka sana inalam ko kung pwede pa bang isoli. Ginawa ko kasi agad hoping na maganda pag natapos.

To make it up to Mamoosh, I told her I'll finish this na lang tapos iiwan ko na dito sa bahay. Kaya kinarir ko na talaga. Sabi ko alagaan nila si Nathan para matapos ko haha!

And here it is, done in two weeks (from February 24 to March 12, may days na hindi ko nagalaw). I am so happy because it turned out really nice. Mas maganda at makinang talaga siya sa actual. I can't wait to see it framed and hanged on the wall. We'll bring it to the framer later today.

Kaya yan po ang dahilhan ng kabusy-han ko the past days lol. The thing is, nagwi-withdrawal syndrome ako ngayon. I am itching to start another project again but I want to rest my eyes muna. Saka hindi ko pa alam kung anong design ang gusto kong gawin next. Sadly, walang masyadong choices sa Lazada. Maraming maganda pero hindi nga fully pasted. I researched and may mga sellers naman sa Facebook kaso out of stock din ang mga gusto kong designs tapos super pricey pa. Oh well, bahala na nga. Relatively new pa lang kasi ang diamond painting kaya  konti pa ang suppliers and designs.

O siya, I have so many kwentos na naipon. Stay tuned ha!

"Me" Room and House-Hunting

Ahhhh, how I miss my "Me" room! Right now, I am still trying to reconcile myself with the fact that I'd probably won't have my own space anymore in Canada.

This was my special place in our previous townhome in Edmonton.

There's a new townhouse development in Aldergrove and my husband has an appointment to view the sample units on March 4. He registered on their website a couple of weeks back and eventually received a notice that phase 1 homes are already ready for selling.

You see, the prices of new townhomes and condos in Metro Vancouver have soared so high that ordinary residents like us can no longer afford them. Hence, Ford suggested that we try to look farther. That's when the idea of living in Aldergove came in.

Medyo malayo na yung place (trivia: the Kent farm in the TV series Smallville is a working farm in Aldergrove), mga 35 minutes to Surrey and about an hour to downtown Vancouver. Boundary na rin ito ng BC at Washington, US. To be honest, ayoko talagang tumira doon. I don't drive in Canada yet so feeling ko maa-isolate ako, but this is our last shot in owning a brand new townhouse in BC. If not, we'll end up in small-sized condos or 30-40+ year-old townhomes in Metro Vancouver. As I have mentioned on this post, my husband wants a "new" home. Hangga't maari, ayaw niya talaga ng luma. Kung sabagay, mahirap bumili ng old townhomes kasi kahit na sabihing renovated, wala na rin yun value later on. Lugi lang kami.

Pero kung kelan naman ok na sa akin na tumira doon, saka naman parang naging imposible. Among the 30+ units that will be sold, dalawa lang ang kasya sa budget namin. Two-bedroom lang yun ha. My husband is scheduled on the second day of viewing (at sa bandang hapon pa) so I am not expecting na maaabutan pa niya. Yes, parang hot pandesal lang ang peg ng pagbili ng bahay dito. The prospective buyer has to make up his/her mind the very moment na ma-view niya yung units and issue a check for reservation. Unahan talaga. Ready na rin ang units for turnover by April kaya mabilisan na.

Sabi ng asawa ko, "kung para sa atin talaga yun eh makukuha natin." I agree, kaso nalulungkot pa rin ako. I want to move na and really start anew. Ayoko ng magtagal sa current apartment namin. For sure, hindi na rin namin magiging option na antayin ang ibang phases 2-4 ng townhomes kasi tiyak tataas na ang presyo dahil sa demand. Hay, to give you an idea, halos doble ng halaga ng dating bahay namin yung target namin ngayon.  Two-bedroom lang yun ha.

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So there, imposible na nga akong magkaroon ng panibagong "Me" room. I'd probably set up an area na lang in our future bedroom for my stationery/arts and crafts stuff.

Pero sige, ok lang. I just want to have my own house again.

2nd Anniversary (Cup)Cake

Hindi ako napakali.

I promised myself last year that we will have a cake on our every anniversary and I forgot! Si Ford pa ang nagpaalala sa akin on our way to State & Main (where we had dinner).

So we crammed and searched for a cake. Sadly, we ended up with cup cakes kasi wala talaga kaming magustuhan. We are not into eating cakes kasi kaya masasayang. Cakes are expensive pa naman dito sa Edmonton.

I convinced myself na ok na ang cupcakes. At least meron. I wanted to primp the cupcakes sana para maging espesyal naman kaso closed na ang Dollarama. It was past 7pm already and most stores here close early on Sundays.

Pero yun nga, two days later, hindi pa rin ako mapakali.

We still had three uneaten cupcakes so pwede pa akong humabol!

I went to Dollarama yesterday afternoon and was able to buy some foam letters/numbers and hearts (buti na lang Valentine season). I remembered having a red plastic heart plate at home (bought at Dollar Tree) and I knew na what to do.

Without further ado, I now present our second anniversary (cup)cake!

Haha, I loved it! Ayan nagka-idea na ako. Since hindi kami mahilig ni ford sa cake, pwede na rin pala ang cupcake -- lagyan lang ng konting accent!

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To recap, here's our very simple (and cheap) first year anniversary cake. I also wasn't prepared last year because Ford was only in Pinas for less than three weeks and I was so ngarag! I am glad that our second year (cup)cake turned out better haha!

And here's our beautiful wedding cake -- the reason why I want to have a yearly anniversary cake...

I promise to have a really nice and well-prepared cake next year. Excited na ako!