Baby Bump: 28 weeks!

Hi guys!

I just went to my OBgyn this morning for a check-up and to know the results of my glucose test. I passed! I'm so happy I won't have to do it all over again, not to mention, lesser chance to be a diabetic and so is my baby. I'm also not low on iron, so I'm patting myself at the back for a good job.

28 weeks!

I'll thank my hubby too, coz he supports me and he's the one who usually watches what I eat. LOL. I have a sweet tooth and caffeine junkie, having him by my side really helps me to eat healthier.

So far so good...mommy Jo is doing a great job :)

Being A Mom-to-Be

I've decided to blog a bit about my pregnancy, let's say a mommy journal for me :) I am now a proud mommy-to-be and I've never been happier in my life! I'm excited and anxious at the same time. That's also the reason why I haven't been posting for a while now. I got so busy with my life lately that shopping, crafting and posting make-up hauls and reviews has been pushed aside. 

The first 3 months was terrible for me: the morning sickness, can't eat-can't drink-anything routine. I can't use the computer or text or even watch TV because I'm dizzy all the time. All I did was sleep (well at least tried to), throw up and complain to my husband how sick I am.

There was also a scary moment when the OB thought I had a miscarriage (I was at 8 weeks that time), I'm so happy my pregnancy went through. It was just a miscalculation of my due date (I was only 5 weeks when I had my first pregnancy check-up).

first glimpse of baby

In the first few months (first trimester), all I can do is walk from the bedroom to the restroom to chuck out everything I took in. I lost 10 lbs instantly. The only thing I can eat are soups, Eggo, and smoothies. I'm nauseated ALL THE TIME.

I look terrible and my skin got blotchy and breakouts out of nowhere - right after I had my chemical peel and my skin was starting to get clear again, oh well...- I can't take the smell of any skincare / makeup products too. I find everything off-putting. I wash my face with a cleanser though. No moisturizer or anything. Maybe that's also the reason why I broke out.

happy and surprised mommy-to-be

My sense of smell was heightened, so I can smell EVERYTHING!!! I especially hated my husband's cooking. LOL. I can't stand to be outside the bedroom whenever he's cooking, I have to close the bedroom door or wear a surgical mask whenever I want to go to the kitchen or living room. We also have to go out to buy food instead of eating what he prepared. I will just take a bite, and I'll push it aside.

fool proof LOL

The 4th and 5th month is when I started to eat and get better. I started to go out, do some walking exercise and re-gain my energy. And that's when we found out we're having a boy! And we all thought I'm having a girl.

As of the moment, I'm on my 6 months now and enjoying my pregnancy. I can eat better now, I'm not sure what kind of food I'm craving though...you better ask my husband for that. Also, my skin is starting to clear up, I still have dark spots on my cheeks due to those acne marks (hormonal changes), but I don't have new pimples coming out, so I'm fine with that...maybe my skin is starting to have that "pregnancy glow". 

 just swallowed a whole watermelon

My husband started to compliment and love my preggy-figure too. Which is super nice to say. I can also feel my baby's movement get stronger now. His kicks startle me sometimes. My husband also felt him move the first time, and it was a precious moment :)

My hair and nails grow faster than usual and looks healthier. I'm also gaining weight in a normal phase (I'm 117 lbs at the moment). I started to shop for maternity clothes too. Like tops that accentuates my belly, more stretchy clothes, nursing bras, etc...and make up!!! I can finally wear make up and use skin care again!

I'm doing okay, Baby is also doing well. Everything is going fine. And I'm happy :)

DiY: Urban Outfitters Inspired Magazine Boxes

I've been holding this project for a long time, and yesterday I'm feeling creative, so I decided to make this (finally!) boxes with rolled-up magazines. I saw the item at Urban Outfitters a long time ago (like the pic below) and I've seen some video tutorials on you tube and I wanted to try it, but haven't got the time. 

~ Urban Outfitter's Rolled Up Magazine Rack ~

Luckily, I got a lot of free time yesterday and went for it! It's bit tedious, but I'm happy with the outcome! Here's what you'll need:

• Empty Cereal Boxes (or any sturdy old boxes you have)
• Old Magazines
• Cutting Mat (or do it on glass table or use anything that can protect the surface when you're cutting)
• Roller Cutter (or box cutter or scissors - whatever you have available)
• Glue
• Glue Gun and Glue sticks

Step-By-Step:
1) Measure the box that you want to make and cut your cereal box based on your measurements. Glue them together using the Glue Gun. Here I measured: 9" x 4" x 2":

2) Cut out magazine strips vertically. Measure the sides of your box and that should will be the width of your  strips, don't worry about the length as you're going to roll it up. Here I made 2" width based on the sides of my box.

 3) Using a pencil. Roll the strips. If you want smaller rolls, you can use thinner pencils, pen or brush.

 * Make sure the outer ends of your strip have colors on it, or it will end up all white, if that is the color you wanted, then it's okay. But for me, I prefer colored.

 4) When you get to the end, use a regular glue to bond it.

 5) Take out the rolled piece. Make sure the ends are straight too. It takes practice but it's not that hard.

 6) Make several pieces. As you can see here, all my rolled-up strips have colors in them. I chose the pages where it has colors in the end so it'll look nicer. Also, make sure you have enough strips to cover the whole sides of the box.

 7) When you're done with the strips, cover the inside of the box with a magazine page that you like. It doesn't matter if you don't cover all the area on the sides, because you're going to cover it with the strips anyway. I use a regular glue on this one.

 8) After covering the box, you can now stick the rolled-up strips with a glue gun. Stick them side by side. Don't forget to glue the sides to make it sturdy.

 9) Just continue gluing them together until you covered the whole side of the box.

 10) Done!

 I can now use it to organize my sewing materials.

 I also made a smaller one to put my pins in. This time, I designed it with color gradation.

Hope you enjoy my tutorial and let me know if you made something similar too! 

Thanks for reading!

Food Place: A Visit at Bev Mo!

I drink alcohol occasionally and I think I've been sober for 3 months now. I usually drink beer, daiquiris and margaritas...but never wine. So this is my first time to try one. My friend from Amsterdam recommended me two that she likes, but I couldn't find it here. The SA (Sales Associate) recommended the closest he can find, so I'll settle for that. I forgot the name, and it's currently being chilled so I got no pictures yet and I can't say if I like it or not.

I also found this two interesting and took pictures, maybe I'll try these next time:

Arts: DIY Mini Munny World

It's been a while before I started to do DIY toys again. A friend asked me to do a customized toy for her brother's birthday, good timing because Kidrobot are having their BOGO 50% off, so I got some extras:

DIY Mini Munny World Haul

 I was at home that day and I saw how this was literally DROPPED off by UPS carrier on my doorstep. The delivery gal just dropped it there like a sack of potatoes (it's not even that heavy!). What if it's fragile? I remembered the news where the FedEx Guy delivered...oh threw...the flat screen TV over the fence. It really happens. You guys should be thankful you have jobs!!! If you don't want it, then give it to those you need them! Sorry I'm ranting out a bit here. 

"hmm... a crumpled sandwich bag?"

But anyway, good thing it's not fragile and it arrived safe and didn't get lost. That would be a total bummer for me.

yeyah!

 This is one of my favorite DIY that I gave to one of my friends for his birthday:

Tuan Ninja

I'll post my step-by-step soon! Ciao!

Easter Eggs

Happy Easter everyone!

I decided to make Easter Eggs today! I woke up very early for this :) I really had fun making them! It's been a while since I held a brush. It's a nice feeling to paint again, even if it's just on eggs and won't last long because they'll be eaten! :)

Food Place: Continental Gourmet

My DH knows how much I love my empanadas, and since moving to LA I haven't eaten a single one for 5 years! I'm so happy when he found a deli where they make these authentic and they were also featured in Food Network! Triple bonus!

We got 3 chicken, and 3 beef.
You order them by the deli inside the store and they will cook it for you. When they are busy it will take about 15 mins to cook. But since we went there in a slow day, we got it in about less than 10 mins.
They will get and use the meat they're also selling in their store by the meat / produce area, and you'll see them cook it for you.
So it's steaming hot when we ate them, it's so fresh and so goood!

Food Place: Gaja

It's out first time to try an Okonomiyaki, it's a Japanese version of pancakes. My JA friends recommended Gaja at Gardena, CA. You can find them on Yelp too.

We learned that the batter is from yam instead of flour and mixed with veggies and whatever combination you want. Seafood, cheese, meat, etc. They have a HUGE menu so I will go back again and again to try them all! It's that good. But anyway, you cook the okonomiyaki  on a tepanyaki grill, use flat spatulas to flip them over, then put mayo, sauce, seaweed, etc. on top.

We got Spam and Cheese Okonomiyaki and it's sooo good:

okonomiyaki process :)

We also love Takoyaki, so we got some too. It has octopus inside and rolled into a ball batter of, I'm guessing yam batter again, instead of flour. JA people are very healthy no? We tried the original flavor before and we want to be creative so we went for different flavors this time. Both of them are soooo good!

takoyaki

We loved the place and will go back to try everything on the menu! LOL. The staff were so nice and helpful, they taught us how to cook the Okonomiyakis. :)

Recipe: Shrimp and Veggie Pasta

I want to share with you a fast and easy way to cook pasta for that "oh no, I don't have enough time to cook lunch / dinner..." days. It's healthy too!

yummy pasta

Ingredients:
1 box (16 oz) whole grain pasta (or any pasta of choice)
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1/2 small red onion, diced (I used regular onion on this one)
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted (optional)
1 - 2 tbsp. garlic paste
4 tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup packed basil, thinly sliced
1 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
15 medium-sized un-cooked shrimp, thawed
1 cup shredded cheese (I use parmesan on this)

Instructions:
1. Cook pasta. Drain, then toss with 1 tbsp olive oil and set aside.
2. Saute peppers and onions in 1 tbsp oilve oil over medium-high heat until tender and slightly carmelized, about 10-12 minutes.
3. Season shrimp with salt and pepper. saute in remaining olive oil over medium heat, 3 minutes per side.
4. Toss pasta with garlic paste, carmelized veggies, shrimp and pine nuts.
5. Sprinkle with basil, crushed red pepper and cheese.

Project: Sham Pillowcases

Oh my goodness! I'm overloaded with projects! 

First, my DH's friend asked me to do 15 pillowcases! Not just pillowcases, it's for shams! The square kind and it's huge! I have to to 9 pcs of 29" x 29", 3 pcs of 24" x 24", and 4 pcs of bolster covers (the round pillows). All must have zippers! And I haven't done pillowcases nor put zippers on! 

Aside from the deadline - which is supposed to be this Saturday (but I managed to ask until Monday, at least) - the fabrics were provided by the client and it's imported. It's one of a kind and exact size. There's no room for error!

Holy crap for a beginner like me! But thank goodness I managed to do it, and so proud of it! I'm self-taught on this one and happy with the outcome.

This is the first batch:

laying flat

put on

two-colored sham case

The zippers are bought at downtown LA. I'm so thankful DH was the one who drove, I hate driving at downtown LA! And he has work that day too and need much sleep, but he helped me look for materials. Lucky to have that guy.

3 down, more to go! Aside from the sewing projects, I also have graphic designing projects! I still have to finish a brochure for Helen! Hope I finish on time! 

Food Place: Spoon House

This place was recommended both by my esthetician (Helen) and my manicurist (Kimie). They're both Japanese so I trust them to give me good authentic Japanese food referrals! I wasn't disappointed.

My DH and I decided to try the place tonight. It's called Spoon House, by Redondo Beach, Gardena, CA. They specializes in Spaghetti. They mash up Italian and Japanese cuisine. The combination may seem out of this world, but they are super yummy!

Hubby's choice:

~ Squid and Sea Urchin ~

What I got:

~ mixed mushroom in clam sauce ~

We shared dessert of course:

~ Panna Cota ~

 They're super flavorful! If you wanna hang out with family, friends or special someone, this is worth trying. It's something new, different and awesome! They serve bread before meal too. They are open 11am - 9pm.

Oh don't forget to order their $1 salad! :)

Travel: Mission Tiki

Went at Mission Tiki, a drive-in theater at Montclair, CA.
For Hubby's 31st bday!
Watched The Lorax and Journey 2: Mystery Island.
You can watch 2 movies for $7 (each person)!
It was overcast, but good thing it didn't rain.
The moon was so bright too.
It's nice to experience something new.
The outside venue, was cool.
It's like camping...
only you're watching a movie on big screen.
You can also bring your own food.
We bought mexican food from across the street.
Or you can buy it at their "Tiki Snak House", which has decent varieties.
I got churros and hot choco before the 2nd movie.
Don't worry they also have restrooms.

I didn't get any pictures because it was too dark. I don't want to use flash and be rude to other people who was also watching. Maybe next time :)

Recipe: SPAM Omelette Sandwich

I miss eating Spam, so I made this for lunch. It's DH approved! I'm happy and it's super yummy! :)

~ make you hungry, no? ~

I made this Spam Omelette first:

~ oh deliciousness ~ 

I was originally going to make a plain scrambled egg...but I found it boring. Here's how I made it:

Spam - cut in small cubes

Tomatoes - cut in small cubes

salt and pepper

Eggs

cooking oil

Just mix the first four ingredients and  then fry on a pan with cooking oil.

Next is stack up your sandwich. Mine includes (by order stacked):

• Bread
• Mayo
• Spam (2 1/2 slices)
• Spam omelette
• Ketchup
• Spinach
• Bread

Cut in half diagonally. Done!

~  Delicioso! ~

My First Published Layout

My layout got published this month of March!
I was so excited to see my layout to get published! I'm so happy! This is my first official freelance work here in LA. You can see this on BestBuyGuide, a local discount magazine that's mailed in monthly!

Crafts: Kitty Tote Bag

I've been doing a lot of sewing lately, and this is my 2nd hand-made tote bag:

Kitty Tote

 This is made from 100% cotton, outside and inner fabric. Straps are made from webbing, which is very sturdy. It has 2 inner pockets too.  Size: Height: 11", Length: 15.5", bottom: 5.5". It is also padded, so it's not the usual tote bags you see around the stores, which are thin.

nice

I'm also taking pre-orders! US shipping only! The price depends on fabric cost, the fabrics I choose has unique patterns, and I also pick good color combinations :) You can also suggest the colors you want!

Tote Bag Specs

My other tote bag is also on sale for $25. Check it out ---> Butterfly Tote
For more info, just send me a message! Thanks for reading!

NOTD: Hello Kitty

Woohoo! I got a free facial from Helen at A New Day Spa yesterday, that's why I like to do freelancing! Hehehe.

It's also time for me to fill my previous gel nails (<---click for the link), and since I'm already there I decided to do it. But instead of just filling, I decided to change it. I paid for my gel mani this time though. Kimie did my nails this time.

~ gel nails ~

I went for orange since tangerine is the color of 2012 and Spring is already coming! I'm also opting for something different than always seeing pinks. The manicure plus nail arts costs $50 (tip not included). It is pricey just for a manicure, but it's so worth it!

~ Hello Kitty nails ~

If you haven't tried gel nail polishes, it's safer than acrylic nails and healthier to nails too. They have different kinds of gels: CalGels, SoakOff, etc. Even OPI has them. It won't dry unless treated under a UV light, and it dries quick after treatment, so you don't have to worry about waiting for a few minutes before you can use your hands. 

It also lasts longer than regular nails. It took me 3 weeks and it still looks the same as new, I only need to apply a basic topcoat over it and it'll look as new. I think can go for 4 weeks, I just find my nails too long. I do wash dishes by hand everyday, I wash my hand often, and my nails will still look nice, no chipping whatsoever.

Crafts: My First Handmade Tote Bag

I attended my second sewing class tonight for 3 hours and I am so happy I took it! I am so proud of what I made:

ain't it pretty?

 The fabrics I got spontaneously. I arrived on time but they forgot to give me the list of supplies, so it took me 30 minutes to buy all the materials needed! What a waste of time. I was in a hurry to get all the materials,  I just took the first fabric that I saw. I hate it when I feel like I'm in a panic mode! It felt like I'm on Project Runway and I'm running out of time! 

with 2 inner pockets!

 I'm happy with the color combinations and this surprise me! The first thing that come to mind while running down the textile aisle was "I want something for Spring..." This fabric caught my eye among all other fabrics (a lot of them are so pretty darn cute) because of the butterflies.

finished!

I was opting for more pink. But I already have a lot of pink fabric, white gets dirty easily, and brown is just...too much already. So I got the orange one instead for contrast (inner lining). My instructor helped me look for the straps because I couldn't find it! Good thing I spotted the brown one! Lucky!

We weren't able to finish on time so we took it home to finish it by ourselves. I'm so glad on how it turned out! I will definitely make more of these!