Up Where They Walk

I spoke too soon! Here are some more takeaways of the wedding. This is me doing last minute accessories/playing he loves me, he loves me not, while having my hair done.

Look at this stuff, isn't it neat? Wouldn't you think my collection's complete?

Wouldn't you think I'm a girl? The girl who has everything?

Look at this trove, treasures untold.

How many wonders can one cavern hold?

Looking around here you think, sure, she's got everything!

I've got gadgets and gizmos aplenty.

I've got whozits and whatzits galore.

You want thingamabobs? I've got twenty!

But who cares?

Thankfully, the bride! And I quote her, "We made sure that everything had meaning that day. I wore these handmade hair clips, personally made by my crafty sister and maid-of-honor. Truly 3x gorgeous."

And that is what I want my craft to be all about --- a bearer of happy vibes, unassuming glamour and loaded with meaning. :)

Girls In White Dresses

Being a woman of grand gestures, weddings paint a picture for me of life --- its meaning and its victories. Regardless of your thoughts on love (some say, stop looking for it; others say, do something about it!), there is no harm in taking a moment to just bask in the magic and energy of love.

Cliched and cheesy, maybe, but some moments, some milestones and some traditions will always resonate positively with people. It's impossible to simply ignore how special the day is for the bride and groom, and the ways in which it is definitely touching my own. Yes, I'm a woman of perpetual comparisons too. Haha!

But before we get ahead of ourselves, rest assured, this isn't a blog on weddings, relationships, loving-you-from-a-distance confessions kinda thing... #thesearemyconfessions

Not quite there yet. #onlyheavenknows :)

Anyways... So what ensues is a weekend (or a month) of romantic and comedic entertainment with maidzilla moments, memorable one-liners and several performances. Clearly, one-upmanship is in my DNA. #datsentertainment (Programs committee, yo!)

The wedding, the bride, the place was just beautiful. So naturally, things got sloppy on my end and I forgot all about the hair accessories I made for the bride and entourage... which brings us to this --- a wordy, hormone-charged, blog post to compensate for the lack of photos.

Hmmm let me see what I can do for you. This is me trying to be resourceful. Chenen! Playback Mentos jingle please!

Camera 1, Zoom in.

Jill wearing a purple flower pin with gold studs.

Floral hair wreath for the flower girls made by my mom. #givingcreditwherecreditisdue

Nothing gets to you, staying fresh staying cool, with Mentos, fresh and full of life!

Fresh goes better, Mentos freshness, fresh goes better with Mentos, fresh and full of life!

Mentos, the freshmaker!

Thank you, Print Screen. Thank you, Mentos.

Thank you, Esel and Gelo for the reminder that we can all use a little more love, a little more faith and sometimes a little swing dance. ;)

That's all.

(PPS --- If you guys still have photos of your hair pieces, photo reply here please: emailbendsnap@gmail.com. And there is no time limit. It's for my own personal consumption and happiness lang! Below is a sample hair clip I made for one of the girls. I used gold metallic flowers and adorned the other paper flowers with rhinestones.)

Fearless 2012

"If you make only one resolution this year, let it be to live boldy. Rather than cautiously test the water, dive straight into life with freeing abandon. Imagine the person you want to be and the life you want to live, then simply commit to them. Believe in yourself. Embrace your beauty. Discover a new passion. And whatever you do, wherever you go, don't be afraid to make a splash."

With Thanks

A few months ago, in the middle of reevaluating my career, I felt the need to satiate my curiosity and change things up. It was around that time when the last Harry Potter film was released -- and boy, that broke my heart more than any boy ever did/could, so I was looking to add some feel-good energy in my life and to appease my idle hands, eco-conscience and brain drain all at the same time.

I realized that happiness is earned, projected even... It's something you can create, either in an epic the-boy-who-lived scale or in a way that's quite simple, clever and chic, like a shopping event. Shopping + CSR = endorphins = "happy project". It was simple algebra. Haha!

Since celebrating creativity and being a spendthrift are two issues I hold near and dear, I decided to hold the Style Swap. Good for me, good for charity, good for creatures big and small. You know I'm quite excellent at busying and distracting myself with "happy projects" to avoid the true and deeper questions about happiness. But that's a different story. Wait, where was I?

Oh, right, the swap. I was just grateful to have some new friends and happy working elves to play with that I made sure all seedlings of doubt, stress, and pressure that come with planning an event simply wouldn't sprout. And of course it was made more fun by power teammates. :)

So, thanks to everyone who donated, helped me out and participated in the Style Swap! Your comments, with their varied mix of praise, pressure and paasa (haha!) were all welcome, and of course, grit for the mind. :) Please accept my air kisses and good tidings as we come into the most wonderful time of the year! THANK YOU.

This post about a happy project might sound candy floss and corny to most. Believe me, I was tempted to inject curse words, gay lingo or Tagalog just to give it some attitude haha... but I guess it's the perfect medium to say that overall, I feel pretty happy and blessed. :)

Easy, breezy, beautiful.

Risa

If you missed it, here's how it looked liked for me. Looking tired and sick ("Walang sparkle ang eyes," as my friend would say) with the Closet Cleaners, Yana and Jackie. :) Proud as punch, we're putting our buttons and pulled pork dinner meetings to rest. For now.

Some of my favorite finds from the loot that I took home! Tribal mommy pants and blazers:

This is such a lengthy post, tra la la la, the end!

One Day You're In

My craft has been pretty intermittent, unless the muse strikes back or opportunity knocks, to which I say, "Hello, come in!" And like a well-packed lunchbox, I simply have to share them with you. AKA All items must go!

But first, a back story.

This is Kylie, a rose among the thorns in the lovely and artfully neglected campus, UP Diliman. One rainy Saturday, we got stranded in the bungalow/school (the one near the playground near Archi), together with my photographer Joseph, a pack of stray guard dogs, a clingy black cat, and a random couple.

Thus, in pursuit of pretty things, Tim Gunn's "Make it work" became that afternoon's philosophy.

Look! That's heavy rain in the background!

Tie-dye headwrap, P400

From top to bottom:

Red floral cuff - P150

Purple floral cuff - P150

Purple beaded bracelet - P100

From top to bottom:

White floral cuff - P150

Green feathered bangle - P200

Pink beaded bracelet - P100

Left, top to bottom:

Silver floral bracelet - P400

Silver beaded bracelet - P100

Green chain bangle - P200

Yellow chain bangle - P200

Right, top to bottom:

Green chain bangle - P200

Turquiose beaded bracelet - P100

Red chain bangle (Thick) - P250

Thanks again to Kylie Misa and Joseph Bernabe for making it work! Auf wiedersehen!

The Multitasker

"Link Again" used as a headband this time around.

Don't you just love multi-tasking accessories?

Thanks again to Kylie Misa and Joseph Bernabe for the awesome photos!

Give And Take

Just as we get stuck with old habits, we also get stuck with stuff we collect over the years. While being a pack-rat was necessary during the Great Depression, that type of thinking today creates excess baggage. And sure, there's this feeling that you'll need the items one day.

When I lose weight, I'll wear that.

However, "one day" never comes. (How sad and Bridget Jones-like is that? Haha!) Here's a good rule of thumb: If you haven't used something in more than a year, chances are you can live without it. :)

So let your wardrobe breathe and give someone else clothes that actually fit them at the Style Swap this Saturday, Nov. 12, 1-5 PM at the Union Bank Plaza, Ortigas. All you have to do is to bring AT LEAST 5 swap items (new or gently worn clothes, bags, shoes or accessories) and the registration fee of P100 to swap with fashion bloggers and other bargain hunters!

Anything left behind (those grey jeggings, for instance) gets taken to a charity shop/ institution, such as Rags2Riches and Girls Town of Silang, Cavite.

Sorry, Barney. New. Isn't. Always Better. Recycling is, though!

See you there! :)

I Want To Be A Blacksmith

I already know how to work with chains, let alone break stuff down to salvage materials... Next thing to cross off my list it to learn how to make metal collar necklaces (and weapons, maybe?)

But for now, I choose to stud the collars of my polos. DIY is making me a little more type A than usual.

After 5

There is this rabbit hole which I've slipped into for the past couple of weeks.

So you see, this post, this collection is my grandiose effort to win you back, get better at my craft and ignore the fact that it is getting a little bit harder to wake up these days. :)

This is After 5, the formal line of accessories from Bend & Snap. And although I'm unsure how well it will hold up over time, I'm really smitten by the thought of having a bridal line. Right now, it's all about curating, cherishing, discovering, editing, inventing, upcycling, recycling and most of all, having the confidence that this trial and error method will lead me somewhere.

Naturally, sand, charcoal, greys and blues, all paired with metallic black and sequins (I'm not really a less is more kind of girl) became the palette for After 5 to "warm up" the cooler nights.

Anyway, I hope you find something here that will make your heart go boom buroom boom boom!

With love, Risa

"Curtain Call" Headwrap, P500

"Link Again" chain on chain necklace + headband, P500

"Feelin' Drape" lapel chain necklace, P400

Get Lei'd P400 (Sale!)

"Petal to the Metal" P500 (Sale!)

"The Old Ball and Chain" P350 (Sale!)

Contact me at emailbendsnap@gmail.com if you'd like to purchase an accessory. :)
Photos by Joseph Bernabe
Model: Kylie Misa