I'm a sucker for ice. I bought an ice tray from Saizen that can make round and diamond shaped ice. I really like the round ice. I tried taking pictures of it but I couldn't hold the ice that long.

This is actually a wrong out take but when I reviewed it in my computer, I really love this photo. It's so dramatic when it's actually just a piece of ice.

This is how it really looks like.

You can view more of my photos here.

I am a person who gets bored easily so I always bring stuff to so when idle comes something keeps me preoccupied. Besides the usual gadgets I always bring around my pencil case and a notebook. I also tend to go overboard most of the time so I have to

set boundaries. So here are items that I need (as much as I want to bring all my coloring materials all the time I have to limit myself to essentials).

Luckily I found the type of pencil case. It's a roll-up kind with elastic bands and pockets for each pen/pencil. Got this from Toy Kingdom

1. Artline Calligraphy Pen Pt. 1 - this pen is with me for a long time. I can't even remember how many years but believe or not it still works. I love this because it has chiseled tip. I also have a version in Pt. 3 but this is more useful. It has the right broadness to easily fill in gaps but not to much that I still have control.

2. Faber Castel Mechanical eraser - I like this more rather than the usual rectangular one's. I have more control since its not that big.

3. Uni Pin Fine Line - Pt. 0.05, 0.2, 0.3, 0.5, 0.5 -I can't live without my felt tip pens! Ever since I was introduced with these in college. I didn't want to use any other pen. I have different points so when I am doing drawings I can easily control the width. I love the 0.05. this point is not so common. I love that I can do tini tiny lines with this!

4. Crayola Pip Squeaks - Black, medium gray and light gray. With my Christmas bonus I bought 32 marker set but I can't bring everything with me all the time so I just chose the neutrals.

5. Staedtler 6B pencil - this is a very soft lead pencil. I use this for shading.

6. Stabillo Exam Grade 2- I love using because it's just right. It's not soft like the 6B's or not as hard and harsh as HB's. This is my general go to pencil. So I always replace this since this is the most overused pencil.

7. Faber Castel Pencil in 2B and HB- like my pens I like pencils in different varieties.

8. Stabillo point 88 - black, gray and light gray -I also have 20 pieces set of these but I also only packed the neutrals

9. HTC blue ballpen- Even with fancy shmancy pens I still need a normal blue ball pen and this one I got from an event.

Not all artists bring these stuff. Most of the time I do my work digitally but I still want to dabble in traditional art. So when I'm on the go the most accesible art form for me is pen and ink.

So what's in your pencil case?

I think it is time revamp my blog. I know I have a tendency of abandoning a blog and creating a new one. As tempting as that may sound to me I have made a promise that I will stick to this blog no matter what. So instead of opening a new blog I have decided to redesign the look instead.

The template design is not really made by me. I admit I suck at coding so I got a very nice free template from www.puglypixel.com and made customized it. The template is named Lemon Meringue you can get the template here

I used to be a prolific and courageous blogger. I blog anything under the sun and didn't think twice. Somehow getting older makes me think about what should and what I should NOT put out in the internet. I realized that quality is also very important. This will still be my personal blog but I will try not to focus so much about me. I will write more about my art, my work, my dreams, my inspirations and anything that I think could be helpful.

This will not be a serious blog. So I will try to be candid, funny (good luck to me!) but also be informative.

It's 2012! They say it will be the end of the world...and somehow it's also an end for me. It's the last year of my twenties. So I WILL chronicle my last year as a Twenteen!

I will end my post with a greeting "Kong Hei Fat Choi!

Starting my 2012 with a Cup of Coffee

I woke up today to a cloudy weather but that does not mean that I should be in bed all day. I got up and promised myself that I would start the year with productivity! What is the best way to perk up my day a cup of coffee! Last year a splurged on a bag of good coffee but when I got home I could not find the coffee maker! Fortunately my friend Honeyel saw my Mom's French press. I don't think my bought it for coffee. I am the only one in the family who drinks coffee. I think she bought it for decorating purposes. So my coffee make problem was solved.  

Yesterday I tried experimenting and my first attempt the coffee was watery. Today finally got it right! 

After having a quick breakfast I got the New Year cake, and pieces of chocolate! I know I am starting my day filled with caffein induced hyperactivity! 

End of 2011

Another year is ending and a new one is just a day away. Here I am thinking about the year that has passed. I know I have not blogged enough. This year has been full of tribulations but also full of blessings.

2012 could mean a lot of things...some say it's the end of the world
Somehow it's also an end for me...it is the end of my twenties.

So I am making a vow that I should make my 29 count.

I leave you with lyrics from Incubus' Song
"If not Now, When"

I have waited

Dined on ashes

Swung from chandeliers and climbed Everest

And none of it's got me close to this

I've waited all my life

If not now, when will I?

We've been good

Even a blast, but

Don't you feel like something's missing here?

Don't you dare

I've waited all my life

If not now, when will I?

Stand up and face the bright light

Don't hide your eyes

It's time

No umbrellas

No sunglasses

Healing [hearing?] Hallelujah everyday

I've waited all my life

If not now, when will I?

Stand up and face the bright light

Don't hide your eyes

It's time 

More lyrics: http://www.lyricsmania.com/if_not_now,_when_lyrics_incubus.htmlAll about Incubus: http://www.musictory.com/music/Incubus  

It's been AWHILE

...
This just shows how I suck at  blogging nowadays. I have been updating my branding tumblr. slimsea.tumblr.com It was suppose to be stuff for my rebranding but somehow my personal stuff is mixed.
I really should be fixing stuff.

Lately I feel I am in a rut. There are a lot of THINGS I should be doing (like getting my act together) but somehow I waste time on facebook. I should learn to go offline.

I need to have creative spark.

In a year I will be turning 30. I know it's just a number. Right now I don't even feel 29...(because I am really 28 going to 29 in less than a month). I am having one of those alone time so I will have my reflective moment! This is my blog and I will rant anything I want! Sigh...

I used to be fearless. I used to be spontaneous. Is this getting old feels like?

Book I am currently reading

There are time I read a lot of books all at once. Well not really ready different books in one sitting. It's more of reading book alternately. Right now I am reading 5. It's usually just 2. 

I never imagined myself reading ebooks. I really hate reading ebooks because my eyes hurt afterwards but somehow I got to finish Pretty Little Liars on my ipod touch. Now I am on the second book of the series. 

I like reading book series. So this is book 11 of the Anita Blake series.

This a very short novel. I like reading this when I am tired of reading Anita Blake fast pace life. This the complete opposite of the Blake series. 

This is a collection of Lourd's essays in spot.ph. I really love reading about his take of current events in the Philippines. I also love the treasure trove of words he uses. 

Lastly I read this one so that I have an idea how to handle the business side of graphic design. I even bought markers so that I could high light the important parts. 

How about you what is on your reading list?

Home made Mocha Frappe

New Crushes!

The very manly MAN Blake Shelton

And the Beautiful Andrej Pejic.

Two ends of the spectrum

Long weekend

There are times when I feel like fate smiles down me. It's one of those 4 day long weekend. With the pressure from IELTS exam I think this break is timely. I planned to work on my rebranding. I have a separate tumbler for that (check it out sometime http://slimsea.tumblr.com). First day I wasted in the singing contest the Voice.

The original reason to watch this is Adam Levine but later on I seem to like Blake Shelton more. It made me realize that I am into BIG and TALL men. Blake is 6'5. Alexander Skarsgard is 6'4. Joe Manganiello is also 6'5...you see the trend here! hehehe

After a day's worth of cheering for the contestants and drooling over Adam and Blake I finally had my share of a day's worth of wasting time. Sunday was date time. Today I must make my break more productive. So finally made my logo. Yehey!

I will do the great reveal if I finish the whole brand identity.

Grey Skies

Ever since I got a new tube of colored pencils I have been itching to draw everyday. I just drew random stuff. Somehow a spark is ignited in me. I think I have been complacent with my lifestyle. I have not made any new personal projects. I was busy with work and somehow going to and fro from the office and home seemed enough.

Today we had a very important announcement at my office. I would mean that my job would require more of me. I am not really scared of change. Every now and then I welcome big changes in my life. It makes my life interesting. Right now I feel my job has put on more weight. Somehow I just confirmed that I am apparently an Art Director. I heard my Boss introduced me that way and never really thought that is my position. I just thought that maybe it sounded better rather than introducing me as just another artist. Hehehehe I guess I'm just in denial most of the time.

Besides new challenges at work I will face another hurdle soon. I will take the IELTS again. Sigh. I kept on postponing it and hope I don't need to take the exam but I need get my bearings and face my fear head on. I hope I get the required score so I won't take the damn exam again!!!

I know my life would take another turn. So I think its time to reinvent myself, art wise.

The skies are grey today and so I painted my nails grey. Hmmm Grey seems the theme of the day.

I see RED

I have a tendency to color coordinate everything. When I was in high school my favorite color was purple so all my stuff and clothes are either in purpler or different shades of it. Right now I am not really into Red. It just happens that my BF gave me a red external hardrive. When I got my laptop I got a red sleeve then later I bought a red casing. So after that I want my gadgets in red!

Here are present red stuff albeit the green earphones.

You can see here a Panasonic Lumix GF2, Blackberry curve 3G, jansport laptop backpack, Urban ears headphone and capdase ipod touch case. I want to buy everything but hopefully I get to buy one or two.

IELTS Back with a Vengeance

After my one month hiatus from my IELTS review I back on the bandwagon again. My first plan was to take the IELTS this July 25 but with unforeseen circumstances I was indisposed for two weeks and failed to catch up with the registration deadline. It's not that I am that eager to face my impending doom. It would have been like one big thorn off my ass.

I might not feel the urgency but its there. I cannot postone any longer. I must muster all my courage and finish what I have started. Last Saturday I went to class again. I did not know a single person there. But is not new to me. Every time I see new faces. The class was small. We were only five in the morning. By the afternoon a student skipped the class and we were only four left. Ma'am Daisy was the lecturer. I am not really keen on her teaching methods. But still she have several good points to share. I guess I just don't find her entertaining. I know, I know...I did not went there to be entertain but to learn.

It was an uneventful class. I got five mistakes at the reading test. It's equivalent to 8. But I know I really have to strive harder. I REALLY need to get the highest marks I could muster.

So here I am planning to self study. One of the things I learned after my absences was that there are no night classes. It sucks for me because its the only I have. So I only got Saturdays.

I planning taking in August. That is in a month. I really have to work on my writing. So here I am trying to practice.

Focus....

It's been awhile since I wrote something. My writing is all over the place. I found that my writing is like the way I am thinking. I tend to move from one thing to another. I know I should organize my thoughts. From my practice tests I found I have no consistency. I really NEED to learn this discipline.

Sigh...

I know I still got a lot to learn.

Recovering

Two weeks ago I would have blogged about my company's Summer outing, I would have blogged about my quick trip to Cebu but that feels like eons ago. After my quick trip to Cebu I got sick. It started Sunday afternoon. I did not feel well. I knew I going down with something. Monday came and I knew I could not got to work. I was having a fever. I thought I could just rest and ignore it but before lunch I knew this was not just any fever. Even though I am not really a person who likes to go to the Doctor I just agreed when my Aunt suggested we go to the Doctor.

It was tuesday when I was admitted to the hospital. When I got my second set of lab results, what my Doctor feared I had was confirmed. I had gotten dengue. After several days of high fever, losing your apetite, super low platelet count (my lowest was 11), 8 bags of platelet concentrate and consuming different remedies for dengue here I am writing how I feel lost.

I happy I am okay but I still feel weak.

2 weeks of stock photo freedom

Last night while I was already slowly drifting to sleep I heard a beep from my Goldie (my ipod touch). Sheepishly I checked what was it. I found inksurge sent me a DM in my twitter. Curiouser and curiouser...

Then I found that I won a free 2 weeks subscription to Fotolia! Well that made me get up from bed and check my laptop. I reread the DM and follow the instructions. So before I fell asleep I was already thinking about stock photos.

This was the post about inksurge's contest.

Lately I have been joining twitter contests. Well not really putting much effort. It's just a malay mo effort. Well those malay mo effort does pay off. hehehehe

Di sa akin to na art galing fotolia

Well some may not be excited for a fotolia subscription, I mean not everyone is familiar with fotolia. If your not an artist by profession don't really give a damn about stock photos. I on the other hand I live off stock photos. It's always the cheaper alternative to looking for photos for projects rather than having a photo shoot.

I'm super excited what photos I would get. Specially this time I would be getting photos for myself! (Selfish much.)

Right now I am still thinking what would I get....

Hyper with coffee

This is what happens when I am bored and little bit inspired (well actually hyper due to the coffee I drank earlier).

I wrote a letter for my sister....
Die...Die....
Actually I made origami...I used the cutter to cut the collar part.
hmmm smells like....
Then there a quick self portrait.

Then it's already 12. Time to go to sleep.

Because I want to!

Yes, I can't help myself. Billie Piper in the 90's. Remember this song?

The Other Hannah

Everybody is familiar with the Hannah Montana. A young girl who has a double life. But I am not going to write about her, rather I would write about Hannah. Same name but the similarities stop there.

The first scene warms you up with a blurred urban crowd shot with an upbeat music in the background. Then you see a woman is walking towards you. She is talking about London. You will see a very chic and classy lady. Expensive suit, a pearl necklace and carefully put make up. Then she says:

The first thing you should know about me is that I am a whore. - Belle/Hannah

After that opening scene I knew I was hooked. This is series not new. Actually Secret Diary of Call Girl has already aired its final episode. I read about this series a long time ago. A good friend of mine gave a copy of seasons 1-3 but I did not have extra time to watch it. Finally I got to watch it and got addicted to it. When I googled more about the series and found that it's only up to season 4.

The series is about a book that was also based on a blog but Belle du Jour. The author's identity was kept secret until recently when the author herself revealed her true identity to the public. Pretty interesting, you think?

What I loved about the series besides the lingerie and the sexy wardrobe is the humor. I didn't know that prostitution could have a humorous side. Belle is played by Billie Piper. If you think her face is familiar its because she was a famous pop star in the nineties. I did not really like her then but I like her now. I like her more as an actress than a singer (but somehow being a pop star came in handy when made goofy dance moves in one episode).

One of the things that somehow nearly hit home is her best friend Ben. I used to have a guy best friend. Seeing their dynamic made me miss having a guy best friend. But I suppose you can not be really best friends with a guy because in the end they came more than friends (Oh no spoiler!) and I on the other hand also had to cut my ties with best guy friend (I know the drama!).

I don't suggest this series for the general public because it definitely for adults. It's not for the faint of heart or the prude. Its for people who are open to explore, people who are not easily get offended and people who embrace their sexuality.

I will definitely add the books where the series was based on to my reading list.

Gazillion things to do

There are a lot stuff I have to do but here I am sitting in front of the computer contemplating the days events.

Hmmm What to do next.....
I could back up my external hard disks....
I could read a book

I could blog...well obviously that is what I am doing right now...

Book Finds

With a limited budget and book stores that only offer best sellers, a book lover like me have to resort to other sources to find my book fix. Well it's not just novels. I also look for graphic design books. Brand new graphic design books is really expensive. So I go to the ukay-ukay version of books, second hand bookstores.

Looking for a good book at second hand shop can be a challenge. You should know what you are looking for. I happy that I get to find good graphic design books that cheap. They are not the latest editions but still they can still be very good reference. I know you can do your research through the internet nowadays but nothing beats a tangible book in your hands.

My latest finds:

Inspirability: 40 Top Designers Speak About What Inspires -Pash

For Sale. Over 200 Innovative Solutions in Packaging Design -John Foster

Designing with type. A Basic Course in Typography -James Craig and William Bevington

Inspirability: 40 Top Designers Speak About What Inspires -Pash

It's hard for graphic designers to stay inspired when they're constantly working to deadlines. Inspirability gives them a fresh look at how to keep those creative fires burning in the real world, with: Interviews with 40 design luminaries, including Stefan Sagmeister, Paula Scher, Milton Glaser and Chip Kidd; Fascinating pictures the designers have taken of themselves and their offices, as well as samples of their design work; Revealing insights into what inspires each designer on a day-to-day basis; This book offers an original take on one of the most requested topics by graphic designers. It's a must-have tool for lasting inspiration.

I am a person who remember names of notable people. I remember more of their works. This book feature 40 graphic designers, some I am familiar and then there are some who its my first time to encounter. This books is like peer on the minds of the other artists.

For Sale. Over 200 Innovative Solutions in Packaging Design -John Foster

For Sale showcases packaging designs from 50 top firms. 15 firms are showcased with several spreads of work samples and an in-depth interview to capture their creative process and best advice. Profiles include noted packaging designers Wink, Sub Pop, Werner Design Werks, Starbucks, Modern Dog, Turner Duckworth, Art Chantry, Fossil, Invisible Creature and more.

One of the things that I love with my job is packaging design. Looking at delightful packing never fails to inspire me.

Designing with type. A Basic Course in Typography -James Craig and William Bevington

This is more of a text book for graphic designers. In my time my typography teacher did not really dwell much on specifics. So now I really like reading about the basics.