Alphabet Beads

One of the first beading itemsI bought when I was just starting my beading career 4-5 years ago. These cute alphabet beads are perfect for personalizing your bracelets and necklaces! A definitely must have  for every beading hobbyist and enthusiasts. Can also be used in making scrapbooks, cellphone keychains and bookmarks! They come in different sizes and colors too.

Ceramic Beads

There are several types of beads that you can use for your projects - some made of glass, stones, wood, plastics, seeds, and ceramics. This is the first set of ceramic beads I bought from Wellmanson several years back:

They are usually made from dried clay that are glazed decorated or hand-painted, varying in degrees of hardness, texture and color. Ceramic beads also varies in size, shape and designs, making them perfect for charm bracelets.

Healing Properties of Turquoise Gemstones

I love Turquoise! One of my most favorite gemstones out there. I love the colors, sooo vibrant and looks great with anything. Whenever I go to Divisoria or Quiapo to shop for beads, I make sure to grab several pieces of Turquoise in different shapes and sizes.

The most valuable Turquoise are large, hard, perfectly polished, with bright robbin egg blue color and has no inclusions.

•Inclusion - In mineralogy, an inclusion is any material that is trapped inside a mineral during its formation

But I like the ones that has inclusions. The strong color plus tiny black lines work very well with gold and silver links.

Do you believe in the healing power of Turquoise?

Since ancient times, people believed in the healing power of various gemstones. They have been credited to have healing power or bring luck and even change the course of one's life.

Here's what I gathered from the net about the healing power of Turquoise:

This stone is most famous as an amazing over all healer for illnesses in the physical body and mental/emotional issues.

This gemtones is an ancient absorber of "negativity" and protection from the "evil eye." It is said to bring wisdom and truth. When worn on the skin, it can easily change color from perfumes, oils, soaps and perspiration. It is believed to also change color when the wearer is ill or when danger is present. Turquoise is sensitive to strong sunlight. It protects one on all journeys, near, far, spiritual or physical travels. It is a great stone for astral travel. It offers the mental and spiritual clarity to see your own path in life.

Turquoise are also given to women for creating a sense of happiness and contentment, as well as for men to guarantee power and success.

Folk Remedies: Sympathetic to all maladies, this stone is the great immune booster. Like amethyst, it protects and detoxifies from alcohol, poison, pollution, x-ray/sun radiation. Helps anorexia, headache and fear. Treats the throat and lungs for issues of asthma, infections, teeth, TMJ, hearing, high blood pressure, creativity block and depression. It is used for muscular/skeletal pain, backache, arthritis, whiplash and post operative recovery. Used also for stress related skin disorders. If you are sick, Turquoise helps to put you at peace. A great anti-inflammatory stone.

Source HERE

That sounded really nice. I guess there's no harm believing in them, right? So next time you buy your jewelry/accessories, buy yourself anyting that has Turquoise stones. 

Wire Jewelry Project

Wire earrings with Swarovski crystals

I love the colors - bluish green and black- one of my favorite combinations. It's very classy too and lightweight although it looks heavy.

Rustic Charm Bracelet

Here's one of my favorite bracelet pieces:



It's one of my bestsellers too! Silver plated bracelet (i prefer using stainless though a little expensive) with various rustic charms. I like putting charms on each loop so they can produce those little sounds whenever I move my hands.

Charms

These are various charms I bought from last year. Prices range from 26 - 80 Pesos depending on the quality. My favorites are these:

SPIRAL CHARMS - perfect for bracelets and earrings.


SLIPPERS, they come in silver and broze colors. I like this color better. Elegant and gives off that rustic feeling.


All products can be bought in Wellmanson Quiapo and Divisoria.

Custom Wire Earrings

Handmade wire earrings. One of my favorite pieces. Very fashionable and lightweight and very pretty too! For orders, email me.

Palawan Fresh Water Cultured Pearls

I love PEARLS! They look very elegant even in your simplest outfit. They're my favorite pieces too when making jewelries, esp. earrings. I usually buy them in strings at Quiapo. They come in different sizes and colors too.



There are generally 2 types of pearls - saltwater and freshwater. Saltwater pearls are very expensive and very rare since they are naturally grown from deep-sea oysters, while freshwater pearls are grown in mussels found in freshwater lakes.

If you come to Palawan, make sure you buy yourself a pair of these freshwater pearl earrings. Contrary to what most of you believe, they're not FAKE! These are pearls too, only that they're cultured.



They're perfect pasalubongs to your moms, sisters and girl friends. A box set is less than 100 Pesos only, cheaper than the ones I see in Manila. Who needs expensive pearls these days when you can achieve the same amount of elegance by wearing these cultured pearls?

picture credits: ruthie's camera

From Hong Kong With Love

It's good to be back! OMG, I haven't been blogging here since january 10...it's been 3 months! anyway, i'm back for good. just want to share to you guys these items i bought from our trip to HK last March 4-11.

• 2 lacoste bags
• lacoste wallet
• 2 Mickey bag from Disney (white and black, 250HK$ each)
• 11 bangles
• several pieces of ref magnets and key chains
• a HK frame
• a boots
• champoy candies
• biscuits
• 11 HK shirts
• pen holder
• 5 mickey mouse pens
• various HK souvenirs from Ocean Park, Disney and Ngong Ping 360

mostly, i bought things that you can't find here in Manila. I didn't shop for clothes anymore, the ones you see in St. Francis or Greenhills tyangge is far cheaper. Besides, I only got a few dollars to spend. If you wanna go shopping in HK, go to Citygate Outlets Mall in Tung Chung. I bought those 2 lacoste bags on sale in Citygate. Too bad, I already spent some of my shopping money on other stuff. Sayang, I could save those money sana and tried buying and selling original Lacoste bags. Sounds bongga and profitable sana hehe...maybe next time.

Ladybug Jewelry

I sooooo like a silver ring with a ladybug design on it, with matching earrings and pendant. Can't find anything like that in malls. Do you know where I can get one?

Hottest Trends for 2009

I know, I haven't been updating here as often as I want. I've been really busy. Pramis.

Anyway, this is uber late for a greeting but happy new year to you all! Can't believe it's 2009 already.

And since it's a new year, let's welcome new trends as far as fashion is concerned.

They say Grecian look will be back in 2009 (should we blame it on Anne Curtis' DYOSA series?). Clothes that show a lot of your skin shoulders will be very IN and SEXY, rather than those body-fits. I love it! This is good news for me since I can hide those baby fat with those loose silhouettes LOL.

As for accessories, the bigger they are the better. And yes, chandelier earrings are back (they seemed to disappear last year)! Big pendants, bangles, rings and layered necklaces will be very trendy among fashionistas.

And as for shoes, it's goodbye gladiator shoes hello chunky shoes - the ones with chunky heels, square toes and thick straps.

In summary, 2009's fashion is all about loose, comfort and chunky stuff.

Bead Shops in the Philippines

If you're looking for the bead capital in the Philippines, you only need to go to one place - QUIAPO it is! There are several bead shops clustered along Villalobos St. (in front of Quiapo Church), like Wellmanson's and others. I'm very partial to Wellmanson's, you'll find almost anything you need there plus prices are very affordable. They have another branch in Divisoria too.

If you hate touring the busy streets of Quiapo and Divisoria, check out this list of other bead stores and supplies along Metro Manila:

1. Carolina's Lace Shoppe - Glorietta, SM Megamall and Divisoria

2. Stitches and Things - Robinson's Galleria and SM Megamall.

3. Castle - Greenbelt 1

4. Greenhills Shopping Center

5. The Bead Shop - another favorite, one thing though, prices are very pricey!!! They have several branches all over the town:

> Lower Ground Main Bldg. SM City North EDSA, North Ave. cor. EDSA Quezon City, Metro Manila.

> Upper Ground Level SM SouthMall, Almanza Alabang-Zapote National Rd.Las Piñas City, Metro Manila.

> 1/L Robinsons Place Manila, Pedro Gil cor. Adriatico Sts. Ermita Manila, Metro Manila. T: 302-0000.

> 3/L Bldg. A SM MegaMall, Edsa cor. Julia Vargas Ave. Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila.

> 2/L SM Sta. Mesa, Ramon Magsaysay St. cor. Araneta Ave. Sta. Mesa Quezon City, Metro Manila.

> 3/L SM City Manila, Concepcion cor. Arroceros & San Marcelino Sts. Manila, Metro Manila. T: 636-5549.

> 2/L Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Drive cor. Estrella St. Makati City, Metro Manila.

Happy beading!