Places: PaperRockScissors the Perfect Craft Store in Davao

Listening to: "It's Time" - Imagined Dragons

Hello everyone! This post is not exactly skin-care related, but I'd like to share something else tonight. Yes, it's a craft shop :) kind of weird, but you know my recently-aquired love for crafting and sewing, right?

However nice Davao City is and its how accommodating its stores and establishments may be, hobby shops are definitely NOT dime a dozen from where I am. I can barely find things I want. National chains for school supplies and crafting items are not much help.

But maybe that's my fault: I don't get out a lot. Well if I didn't go out last night for a dinner at Zabadani Cafe (Grilled Syrian Chicken is just too yummy to pass up!), I would never know that what I needed was right under my nose!

A recently-opened shop called Paper Rock Scissors is one of my recent finds. Located just a minute away from where I work is the hobby shop of my dreams! It is so quaint and pretty and houses a lot of craft items, scrapbooking materials, rubber stamps and so much more.
 

When I got there, I was surprised at the amount of wonderful things to look at! Everything was begging to be bought. Not only their items, their containers and notices are so bright and pretty, too!

I enjoyed browsing around the store as their knickknacks distracted me one after the other. I couldn't stop ahhing~ and ohhhing~ at each little thing inside. It was so colorful, it made me happy! And you know me, when I am hyper I just can't stop myself.

Paper Rock Scissors service menu!

Just outside their main entrance, a random basket of fruit greets you!

I bought something. One of the items in my crafting wishlist~

I commend the owner for setting up this little shop. I also love that when I talked about wanting to modpodge some cute scrapbooking paper, she understood, and she even taught me her secret to DIY modpodge. That definitely is a plus in my books. She sure knows her craft. I feel relieved, you know! I was like "Finally, a store that understands..."

DIY ribbon-tied boxes

Aaaaa! The pastel colors make me want to weep in their loveliness~

Items ranging from ribbons to stamps are the popular must-buys of Paper Rock Scissors. Not a lot of stores carry these, especially ones that you can PERSONALIZE! You can ask about their rubber stamp personalizing at the store. The owner is really friendly and knows her craft! (Pun definitely intended :p )

I love these little jars with the modpodge'd canister covers

So cute! These are cardboard-type crafting paper! Finalllyyyyyy~

I've been interested in purchasing Washi Tape. Not a lot of store knows this, but the owner pointed me to the jar full of washi tapes :) This is an adhesive tape which is made of fabric. I am floored that washi tape is now in Davao!

If you have time, go and visit Paper Rock Scissors at Damosa right along Mamay Road. It's just about fronting Nikkei Jin Kai school. The store has also a Facebook page www.facebook.com/paperrockscissors.ph


I hope they'll stock more on

Products: Organic Skincare - Human Heart Nature, Queen Helene, Lush!

Hello everyone! ~

I am so glad to have some time today to share more about the organic/natural skin care that I use day after day. These are a product of my experiments, tests and from there I finally found some great things that I could use! Being a fan of Human Heart Nature products that I purchased online, I now moved on to incorporating more of their product lines ;)

There are quite a bunch, right? I'm not crazy, these are mostly sample sizes. Also, I am hoping to trim it down sometime soon... I'm just trying out a variety to be sure what products works for me :) 

Human Heart Nature Products (Left-Right) Reviews:

Tomato Extract Nourishing Facial Wash (PHP 79.75 / USD 1.90)- This is a clear, runny gel-type wash that does not produce suds. It cleans so well but does not leave the face 'squeaky dry'. It has a gentle, fresh fruit smell that I really love, and helps me get rid of oiliness and dirt without a harsh feeling. This is a keeper until I try the Blemi & Orange Balancing Facial Wash and see if I like it (Balancing Wash is currently sold out all over!)

Tomato Extract Nourishing Face Toner (PHP 99.75 / USD 2.30)- A wonderful toner that leaves the face dewy. It is clear and watery, with a bright, fruit scent that is not overpowering. I prefer the Balancing Toner over this, though, but this is still good if I need an extra boost for dry parts of my face and especially my neck area.

Citronella Bug Spray (PHP 99.75 / USD 2.30) - I bought this because of the alarming incidences of dengue all over nearby towns. I purchased one for my little nephews and for myself as well--can't be too careful! This is oil-based and heavy. It has really potent citronella herb smell which mosquitoes hate but I like! I usually just apply this on some parts of my body like arms and legs. It definitely keeps bugs away, I stopped getting bitten! :)

Blemi & Orange Balancing Face Toner (PHP 99.75 / USD 2.30) - Amazing, amazing, amazing! I can't rave about this product enough. I love it because after toning it creates a soft, non-dewy, natural feeling on my face. It keeps my oiliness low throughout the day. It works so well for me that I want to purchase the big bottle as soon as it is available. The scent of smooth citrus perks me up! It is easy to spread using a square cotton.

Moisturizing Day Fluid  (PHP 149.75 / USD 3.50) - A light and easy-to-spread moisturizer that lives up to the "a little goes a long way" hype. It is filled with 15 vitamins and minerals for the skin to enjoy so you can't really go wrong with this. Makes the face dewy but I don't mind, it makes you look glowing and pleasant! Scented with some natural herbs, it gives me some energy, somehow... I dunno :)

Sunflower Beauty Oil - I have the large (PHP 249 / USD 5.90) and travel-size (PHP 129 / USD 3) variants. I keep the smaller one in my bag all the time. It is a clear oil which is amazing for almost everything skin-wise and it has no scent, too! It made my elbows smoother and somewhat evened out the tone (usually elbow areas are darker than other skin areas) I also apply this on my legs and feet at night. I take the small bottle with me to our very cold office so in case my lips get chapped I dab a small amount. I also use it as a hand cream hahah~ My skin definitely gets a lot of boost! I give credit to SBO for my smoother skin!

Healthy Lotion in Berry Bliss - Tried the small sample size and LOVED IT SO MUCH that the next day I got the big bottle. I use this night and day, and it is so light and dries so easily on the skin (no greasy feel what.so.everrrr.) The lotion is not creamy as much as it is runny and has a white color with a strong zing of candied berries! No harmful chemicals, a lot of skin-friendly nutrients: This is my lotion for life!

On the left side are my DAY products which consist of the face wash, toner, and moisturizer (if I'm really lazy I skip this which is probably bad!) and a light lotion for my arms, legs and body to keep the skin healthy.

On the right side are my NIGHT stuff which mostly is the same but the Sunflower oil is heavier than the day moisturizer, and I have some Citronella natural bug spray and the Mint Julep mask (which I use 2x a week only or as needed.)

I know that the Queen Helene Mint Julep mask is not 100% organic but it does have Kaolin Clay. I have wanted to try this product for so long. I used to be a seller of Queen Helene before, but I stopped because the product gets sold out almost all the time that I didn't even own a tube of it myself.

I just recently applied Mint Julep mask last week because my face took a huge hit. Due to my very irregular sleeping habits and stress, my face is a wreck. Here I am with a lot of my pimples (very icky, sorry!):

First application: Monday

Well, thankfully my consistent application of HHN products and a follow-up reapplication of Queen Helene (Thursday) helped my skin recover fast! I still have some zits but not as many as before.

Second application: Thursday (You know you love my clothes-clip-turned-hair-clip!~LOL)

I haven't been applying face masks both sheet and DIY face mask regularly like before since I practically have no time at all and I can't find a 100% organic sheet mask brand yet! But I am thankful that Queen Helene really works at keeping zits dry as fast as possible.

An addition to my organic bathcare routine is the Lush Dirty Body Soap that Mike bought for me during our trip to Manila. I made sure that I used up my other organic soap before using this. It is a cute blue soap that smells of the cleanest fragrance of spearmint. It not only keeps your body dirt-free, it leaves a nice scent that settles nicely for quite some time!

All these products are bought by me (or given as a gift!) Quite an aggressive switch from last year's old skincare regimen, don't you think? I'm trying to really make a stand that we should do away with a lot of irritants and chemicals in skin care. It is important that we use products that NOURISH and make our body happy and free from danger! Let's do our best~

Whew!
That was a long post; but that was for being away all the time and not being around more.
Thank you for reading! See you~

Craft: My Hobbies & DIY Headset Cable Cosy

Hi Everyone! Today I'd like to share a new hobby and a simple DIY for headphone owners :)

I'm working a 8-5 day job and a nightly side hustle writing gig, but that doesn't stop me from busying myself even more with different hobby projects and nonsensical things I cook up inside my room. I have recently found the urge to learn how to sew and make my own stuff, even though I am terribly rusty as the last time I picked up a needle and thread was in grade school for our home economics project. Aside from reading books, trying to learn how to draw plus paint in watercolors, discovering personal finance, my anime-watching pasttime, and everything in between, I am not sure why I want to add DIY/Sewing on my list. But I found that it's pretty relaxing and gives a good feeling of accomplishment.

My first venture was a DIY Headset Cable cosy, since I just bought myself my beloved AKG K44 Headphones a month ago and I'm pretty much inlove with it, but since owning this, I live in perpetual fear that something may happen to it. So, I made the cable cosy because the AKG has pretty long cables and it can get tangled and wavy pretty quick :( This is something done in just under 20 mins, so it's really not a huge project but this cosy is really helpful for me.

Procedure:

1. Measure your the length of your cable and cut a matching length of strip of fabric. Fold the fabric lengthwise and baste or pin.

2. Sew the ends of the fold. I used a horrendous backstitch! But it's ok nobody's gonna see it anyway. ;)

3. Thread a crochet thread into a big needle and hook to one end, this will help in trying to turn your fabric inside out.

4.  Pull the crochet thread as you go. Slide the end out.

5. Insert the headset cable and,

6. Thread until it goes to the other end

There! Finished! Here's me on a bright day, listening to GooseHouse JP with the headset cosy.

Thank you so much for dropping by and reading!

Travel: Aicha in Manila (My Trip Highlights)

Hey!

Ah, It's been quite some weeks of hiatus! But I am happy to report LIFE is still going so swell like you wouldn't believe. I took some time off from the busy rigors of work to enjoy myself in Manila! Being a quaint little Davaoena, this bustling metro is very new to me. I love Manila for its diversity, trains, huge malls and the food stalls galore!

Today I will delight you all with mostly food pictures from my trip :)

Had some macarons from Bizu! I FINALLY ATE REAL WONDERFUL MACARONS. Not the unappetizing macarons from a local store in the city, which is brittle, dry and not so much chewy and delightful and cracking as these little numbers:

Choco mint, Mango, Vanilla Macarons

I think Dairy Queen is my reason for catching a flight to Manila. I am like a horrendous crackhead everytime we pass by a DQ kiosk/stand: I JUST HAVE TO KEEP ON EATING DQ. Their Kit-Kat Blizzard mix has been my go-to and most-missed ice cream in the world.

Had some great food pasalubongs from Salazar at Ongpin! It was my first time to go there, so imagine my confusion! But loots were scored anyway :)

We also took some time to partake our breakfasts at The French Baker, which is divine, and I wonder why it's not in Davao yet. I love their rice meals, and their rice is served formed into a pyramid! Pyramids are KING.

Even when snacking, we go to Dairy Queen. A quick Dilly Bar is all you need to keep your strength up!

Aside from gorging myself with food, I went to The Reading Club, or "The Bookshop in Balagtas Street" as one article from the Philippine Daily Inquirer has named it. This, I think, was the highlight of my entire trip. I was floored. There is just something so intrinsically wonderful about selflessly giving your time to promote literacy and make books available to everyone! You can read my article about The Reading Club 2000 at my other blog by clicking on the link.

My three-day stay was markedly happier than my previous vacations! Maybe because this time I was prepared and we went to really good places! Here I am with Mike, in Cafe Noriter (favorite cafe in the country!) displaying my happy-face-ON.

Back in Davao and back to the drawing board!