DIY

I was browsing through Pinterest the other night when I saw a picture of an Ombre nail art tutorial. 

I'm already familiar of the ombre trend for a very long time now. 

From hair color.

 

To shirts.

 Shorts.

 

Actually, its ombre in just about anything!

Gowns

Lips

Jewelry

Pants

Skirt

Isn't it sooooo cool? I've always wanted to try it on my hair, but my hair's too short, and too resistant to hair color, I don't think it will ever work. So I was happy when I saw that I can do it on my nails too! Eeekkk!

The tutorial looks like this:

Looks pretty easy eh?!

The materials needed are:
1. Nails
2. Nail polish, 2-3 different colors, they can be from the same family color or on the opposite side of the color wheel.
3. Make up sponge or sponge. I used scotch bright sponge. Don't judge. Old make up sponge will do too.
4. Lots of nail polish remover. First timers need a lot of this.
5. Cotton buds.


The tutorial looks pretty easy, so I was like "Meeehhh... I can do that sh*t."
And oh boooy, was I definitely wrong. I don't know how they managed to make it look so easy! 

First problem was getting the right color combination. Choosing 2-3 colors that would jive with each other. I found lots of ideas online, but they didn't look as good. I guess you need to buy the exact polish brand to achieve those looks. I need to make use of the polishes that I have.

Second was the sponge. The first sponge that I used looks like this.

It's too hard and it doesn't absorb the nail polish well. I used new ones so that's probably why it's too stiff. I rummaged other home stuff, and found a scotch bright sponge. It looked promising, so I cut a piece and moisten it a bit. And guess what, it became too soft. Hahaha!! I cut another piece, and this time I kept it dry. To my tired ass surprise, it worked! At last. -_-

Lemme show you what I did. Drum roll please....

OK OK... I know it's not that good... But please forgive me noh?? It's my first time... HAHA!!

As you can see I used a lot of colors. 
One has different shades of blue, the second is black to gray to white, third is yellow to orange, and last one is bronze to light brown.


I did a full manicure on my friend's hand.

I used silver and metallic blue. Her nails remind me of cold winter Christmas.... Hmmmm :)

Birthday Aktibidades Part 2

…So after attending my dress making class, I then proceeded to join my cousins in Deira City Center. 

As a lot people from Dubai might know, January 3^rd marks the start of the famous Dubai Shopping Festival. It’s a yearly shopping event, where most stores and boutiques around Dubai, gives at least 25%-75% OFF of their merchandise. The festival will run until Feb 3^rd. So off we go to hunt for good deals. Too bad I don’t have any money.. :( So I just settled for window shopping and "item threatening" (where I would look at the item with menacing eyes, while murmuring to myself, "Oh don't worry my precious, i'll buy you…. NEXT TIME…").

After our “pseudo shopping” we decided to book a salon reservation to give rest to our weary, earthly bodies. We went to the Vanity Box Salon in Karama. My friend, Ms. Tondo Girl, has been an avid customer of the place. I think one of the reasons why she liked the place is because of their affordable packages. You can see the prices on their website, but as I checked, the package that we got is not on their site, sooooo I would suggest on calling them too just to be sure. 

Anyhoo, lemme tell you what me and my cousins got. Each of us had 6 services done for a price of 100AED. We chose from a list of their basic services, which are: haircut, shampoo & blow dry, hot oil, deep conditioning hair treatment, head & shoulder massage, full face bleach, eyebrow & upper lip threading, manicure, pedicure, and foot spa. 

I got the haircut, shampoo & blow dry, hot oil, head & shoulder massage, full face bleach, and threading… All for 100AED… For 100AED… ALL FOR 100AED!!! I had to repeat it for dramatic purposes, but isn’t that amazing!? And all the staff were very friendly and accommodating, and they definitely know what they were doing!! I’m so happy with my new hair! 

Here's a picture of me with my new do....

My new hair! KAPAL FACE MUCH LANG?? Hahahaha

Weee! I think it's only proper to post a picture of myself, just to show you my old and new hair, but i'm too shy....Hahahaha! So for the meantime, just imagine that I somehow look like Mrs. Beckham. Well the hair cut at least. Hehehehe...

Birthday Aktibidades Part 1

Just had my 26^th birthday yesterday and it was hmmmmmm… It was alright.

I already told you about the awesome gift that I got for my birthday right? "Ze' Sewing Machine". And I also mentioned that it would be perfect for what I’m planning to do.....

Now can you guess what it is?? Clues are: Sewing machine, sewing, clothes.... If you still didn’t get it, lemme call Captain Obvious to help you!

Captain Obvious to the rescue!!!

I'm opening my own tailor shop!!! Gasp!!

Nah just kidding, I don’t have the money yet. 

It's a sewing class! I enrolled in a sewing class!! Charaaan!! Nice noh??

It's only a dress making class for beginners, DRESSMAKING 101 kumbaga. 

The idea came when I was browsing the net for hobbies that I can do here in Dubai. I was focused on looking for dress making or craft making classes when my cousins told me about Filipino Digerati Association. It's an association formally established on 29^th December 2007 by the Filipino community here in U.A.E. Its aim is to gather talented individuals, who are willing to volunteer, to share their ideas and gifts to further cultivate the hidden talents of Filipinos. Sounds heavy huh? 

They offer a variety of courses, from Basic Photoshop to Advance Balloon Décor, with each course running for 3 months. Tuition fee is at 120AED. They have sites in Karama, Deira, Sharjah, Ajman, RAK, and Al Ain. So that means you can pick a site nearest you and just attend the class there. I think it’s a very affordable deal. And don’t worry, they operate under the Philippine Embassy, Philippines Consulate General, Overseas Workers Welfare Aministraion (OWWA), Workers Resource Center - Dubai and Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO), so you can guarantee that it's not a sham. Check out their website: www.dpinoy.org.

So going back, I enrolled for the "Dress Making Core" class in Karama. The class started last Friday, 4th January. It was held at the 4th floor of President Hotel. Now for the sake of honesty, and because i'm such a blabbermouth, i'm gonna share what happened there and my thoughts about the class. 

First, it was very noisy.

I knew beforehand that the venue is a bar / club at night, it's called Maharlika Bar, but no one told me that it turns into a "palengke" during the day! Haha!

Six classes that hold the same time slot, (1:00-2:30PM), were ALL in the same room. 

Each class were divided by thin curtains that hides the nearby class. Unfortunately, it doesn't do anything about the noise. And our class was so fortunate to be seated right next to the "Communication and Presentation Skills" class! Haha. You can hear a lot of loud talking and people almost yelling. And add to that, our teacher's voice is so weak that I need to stand next to her just so I can hear what she's saying.

Second, it was disorganized and too informal.

Aside from the fact that the seats are scattered everywhere, it seems like our teacher's mind was also in disarray.

In the middle of the class, she held up this dress making book, asking us to buy the same book, or in her term, something like it or anything just as long as it's a dress making book. Say what?! Vague much?? How are we supposed to learn together if we use different books right?! Good thing one of the students suggested to copy the teacher's book and give a copy to each of us. 

And oh! She also gave us a list of materials to bring for the next week's class. Well actually, amidst all the noise and despite her very weak voice, she had told us the list of what to bring. And I saw her effort, I really did... But I also saw a white board with a marker just right behind her. Why did she not use it was beyond me. Maybe she doesn't like writing....??

Anyhooo, i'm still willing to finish the course despite these "circumstances". I reaaalllyy wanna learn how to make clothes! And I still have hope that next week will be better. It's too early to tell, maybe next week's class will be more organized and a bit peaceful. Oh God how I hope this happens...

Itchma Birthday!

Yeeeyy itchma birthday! Cue "In Da Club"....

Well it's not really my birthday yet, it's tomorrow, the 5th. But that won't change my giddy mood. No surrr!! Hehe.. I always get these excited / crazy / happy feelings days before my birthday. And every year I would tell myself to keep mum about it. I mean there's really no need to blurt out to anyone you meet when your birthday is right??? Especially if you don’t have any big party planned. But I always fail! I always involuntarily say it to people. I find ways to ease it in to any topic. I'm like a ninja, I slowly creep in. I start to talk to you about the weather and then boom!!! "Oh by the way tomorrow's my birthday." I just subtly mentioned my birthday! Hahaha.. It’s quite irritating, I know, but I just can't help it!

I love celebrations! Not just my birthday, but special occasions. May it be a Birthday, Christmas, New Year, Diwali, Eid, Boxing Day, Canada Day, Independence Day, or Labor Day. Coz’ I feel like it gives me reason to be extra nice to people. A chance to greet them, and it’s also a great conversation starter. I remember the first time I spent Ramadan and Eid here in Dubai. I was so ignorant with the whole Ramadan and Eid deal. I mean, I just know the terms but not the meaning, and greeting people helped a lot. So I would basically start out by greeting them about Ramadan. Then I’d proceed with asking them about it, like how it came to be or why they are doing it. And one thing I learned is that, people love to talk. You just need to ask the right questions. Before I knew it, we’re already making a connection and earned myself a new friend. So yeah, that’s why I love celebrations.

Whew! I drifted there for a while… Moving on to my birthday…. Guess what? I just got a gift from my Kuya. And it’s the sickessstt, and the bessstttt birthday gift I have EVEEERR EEVVVEERRR received! I dieeee!! It's a sewing machine!!! Just perfect for what i’m planning to do. I’ll tell more about it on my future posts. Bye for nowwww… Mwuahhhh.

Belated Merry Christmas Ya'll!!

Belated Merry Christmas everyone! I was so swamped with work these past few days, thus the lack of posts. Anyways, how was your holiday? Did you celebrate it with your families or with your dear friends like I did?

We celebrated our post Christmas party last December 28th. Since we live in Muslim country, not all companies consider December 25th as a holiday, and it was very hard for us to find time to celebrate together on Christmas day, that's why we settled to do it on the 28th. We went to Lamesa Restaurant for supper.

Lamesa Restaurant, located at the 5th floor of Asiana Hotel

Asiana Hotel Deira

Since i'm more of a fast food / eat-at-home / cheap person, it was my first time to dine here. Reservations were done 5days before. It was unlimited buffet dinner for 89AED. Water is included, but if you want other beverages you'll need to add another 20AED for unlimited serving. I would've settled for water but everyone ordered drinks so.... I was pressured. LOL. The buffet mainly consists of Filipino food, read: PORK, and Chinese food. There was an ambience of serenity and "shala-ness", which i'm not familiar with, so I was on timid-mode. 

After our first round of dinner, we exchanged gifts and it was like the key to my gates of "jologness". My name was picked by Ate Iya and boy was I lucky! I got a huge pink Aeropostale bag, rosary from Jerusalem, shot glass from Cuba, flip-flop key chain from Brazil, Eiffel tower key chain from Paris, and this is not shitty talk at all, those stuff came from those countries for real man! 

Please excuse the crappy pic..
But these are my Christmas gift haul

I was already feeling a bit down, coz it was mostly key chains hellooo... But then I opened a small box that contains Hermes perfume, lotion and soap! Sample size nga lang, pero bet na. Arte pako? Needless to say I was a happy camper! 

After the gifts, we had our second, and third rounds of dinner and deserts. Yes, there were many many rounds, it's unlimited buffet after all, what to do??! The servers were attentive and accommodating and made sure that every dish or glass is not left empty. 

Overall, I would rate Lamesa Restaurant and our experience a 7 out of 10 in my amateur dining out scale. Would I wanna come back? Hell yeah! Specially after hearing that they also have a lunch buffet for only 49AED. Bet na Bet!