External Flash: Nissin DI622

Last Christmas, my fiancée gave me an external flash for my DSLR camera. The truth is I was never a fan of photos taken using an external flash. I feel that the subject becomes too bright and the photo loses its artistic quality... but now, I change my mind. The external flash is an amazing accessory to help document our travels and night outs with friends and family. With this flash, you can capture the subject clearly and also the DSLR is now capable of taking a photo with the background in full color. Not only that, the lighting is balanced and can be controlled to ensure that the subjects are not burned out by the light. It also helps in taking macro shots of food. Thanks JingJong for the best and practical gift for 2010. I love you! :)

Here are some photos taken with the flash:

If you're a amateur photographer this flash is really a great investment! :)

Enjoy taking pictures!

Love, 

Cristalle

Watchy Christmas

Last Christmas, our dad didn't have an idea on what to give us for Christmas.Since the Christmas rush was so bad, he just asked us what we wanted so it will be hassle free for him!  He still had it wrapped and we still opened it on Christmas Eve! Haha Funny!

Here are our Choices:

Cristalle: White and Gold Everlast Sports Watch

China: Fila Mother of Pearl face with Pastic Straps

Ivorie: Yellow Columbia Sports Watch

Is that all the watches we got? There's more!

Cristalle: I bought this in the Robinson's Galleria Tiangge (in front of the Supermarket) as extra Christmas gifts for us three (I bought one for myself too). How can you go wrong with 100 Peso swatch plastic watches? Cute for everyday casual wear. (Chi - white, Cris - Pink, Ivorie - Purple)

Ivorie: Giordano Neon plastic watches are just so cute and adds a nice twist to any plain outfit! These watches are from LJ (Ivorie's boyfriend). I've been wanting to buy these watches but never got a chance to. I like how sturdy the plastic is. It doesn't look like it will break easily. :)

China: Who knew that there was a watch brand called AXN? No, not the TV channel. It's Cristalle's Christmas gift to me and I loved it as soon as I saw it. The bronze color was just perfect for a more dressier occasion. Who cares about the brand right?

(AXN watches are sold in SM Department stores)

Now we can never be late and we'll always know the time! :)

More Gift/Christmas/New Year posts soon!

Love,

Cris, Chi and Ivorie

We're Back! Happy New Year! :)

We're back! :) With so many things going on, we didn't have time to blog anymore. But the holidays was the perfect time for us to dress up and show the world our outfits!

Christmas eve get-ups:

On China and Cristalle: Our mom asked our neighborhood seamstress to make these simple yet elegant shift dresses inspired by this dress worn by Marylin Monroe. (We kinda have to alter the dresses some more because we want the upper part of the dress to be lower and show more skin. Just like the picture below. haha)

 You can keep on wearing these for different occasions and it will always look good! We're planning to have more made in different colors.

On Ivorie: Looks like a one piece dress? Nope it's not! Got the layered top from a bazaar and paired it up with a black skirt from F21 (borrowed from Cris). Just a little bit of accessories and the outfit looks brand new!

New Year's Eve get-up:

On Cristalle: F21 skirt. Mango tank top.
On Ivorie: F21 top, skirt and shoes.
On China: The shift dress again. (still looks great!!)

More posts in the coming days! :) Happy New Year everyone! :)

Love,

Ivorie, Cristalle and China

Night out at Rue Bourbon

Blue Spaghetti Strap: Atmosphere - Black Skirt: Forever 21 - Shoes: Forever 21: Necklace: Bacolod Market 

Last Friday was my brother Mike's birthday. He celebrated at Rue Bourbon. I know that place is always packed so I anticipated the heat I was about to experience. So, I made sure I wore something cool on top and on the leg area too. Unfortunately, I didn't expect Mike to reserve the top floor, so the 4-inch heels was a bad idea---And the restroom was on the lower floor. :S Thank God for my strength training, I was able to survive the night going up and down the stairs! Haha! Cheers ya'll! Hope you had a great weekend!

Have an eye for art? Photography does not have to be expensive.

People think that to be a photographer, you need to spend money on an expensive DLSR, fancy lenses and photo classes. True. But if you don't have the budget for this, a good quality point and shoot can do the trick.

If you simply want to take photos as a hobby and to make beautiful art shots, all you need is a sturdy camera, a good eye and knowledge in photo processing. On a sunny day, your shots don't even need to be processed just like the colorful flower, man on a hammock and Cristalle shown below!!!

Photography is all about composition of the shot, proper lighting and interesting subjects to shoot. There are tons of rules in photography and if you simply take them in consideration while using your own style and technique, you can come up with great photos. Photography is art and sometimes, if you have the eye for art, you wouldn't need a fancy camera to get that perfect shot!

All these photos were taken using a Lumix FS7 point and shoot. :) I bought the test unit for PhP8,000 from P12,500. - China

Our "Ironic Taffy" Nail Polish

Brand: None Price P10.00 wow! haha

Should only be placed on the pinky! haha Its too hoochie if you put it on all your nails ;P

Inspired by the movie Drop Dead Diva, we came across this awesome nail polish from Regina's Gift Shop in Greenhills that looks kinda like "Ironic Taffy" but more on the greener shade. The characters Deb and Stacy colored their pinky with this yummy nail polish color for good luck. :) Hope this brings us good luck this week! I'm actually not allowed by the hospital to have color on my nails but who can stop me? :P 

Love,

China

Monday Holiday

It feels so great not to have work on a Monday. Today, our dad invited us to have lunch at Emperor (Wilson St.) and have some Serenitea after. We then decided to go to the Greenhills Tiangge and run some errands (we didn't shop for unnecessary things even if we wanted to!!). It was a good thing that it so hot inside the mall so we didn't get to stay long.

Here are some pics of our Monday get ups: 

On Cristalle: Dress with pockets BKK Skimmers Keds Brown highwaist belt Mango
When we go to greenhills, I always make sure I wear something light and breezy. I also try to wear a dress so that I can easily fit pants or shorts and I wear slip on flat shoes such as my keds sneakers so I don't have to struggle to remove my shoes and to put them back on when I need to a fit a pair of footwear in the overcrowded "tiangge". 

On China: Pink top/dress BKK Green shorts F&H Sandals Mendrez
I always want to be comfortable especially when going around places that are packed and hot. A cute knit top and a pair of shorts was perfect for this day in Greenhills. The color motif for the day was green and pink :) My favorite colors!

On Ivorie: Top with lace back NY Brown weaved belt BKK Brown loose pants White Bag China Town NY Sunglasses i2i
I knew we were going to eat something heavy for lunch and so I decided to wear loose pants with a semi loose top. Looks like a regular top to you? NOT! Take a look at the lace detail on the back. Should I have worn something inside because my bra is seen on the back? People might react that it's too revealing or something. But oh well, wore it as is anyway! 

Lace detail on the back

 For our last stop inside the mall, we went to REGINA'S in Shoppesville to reminisce on our favorite childhood store. They have everything from little trinkets, pens, notebooks, stickers, candies and accessories. Look at what Cris found and bought..

Voodoo Doll bracelet Php 70

Cristalle: Inspired by the South African obsession with voodoo dolls, this accessory adds more to my dressed down look.

We hope you have a great week ahead! Only 4 more days until the weekend! :)

Love,

Cristalle, China and Ivorie

The Round Sunglasses

Taken from www.WhoWhatWear.com

A new trend making a come back are ROUND SUNGLASSES. John Lennon usually comes to mind when we see these oddly shaped sunglasses. But now, it's modern twist has been the in thing in the fashion world. Take a look as we fit our only pair of round sunglasses sent over by our mom from New York.  

Cris

Ivorie

China

Who do you think wore it best? :)

This is our mom wearing the same glasses before she sent them over through express mail. She thought we could make a statement with these here in Manila. Thanks mom!! :)

A Real Four Leaf Clover

China: During my Saturdate with my niece Naith, I came across this adorable pendant locket that had a real four leaf clover! It was so lovely I just had to buy it! Placed one of my favorite photographs with my mom and sisters taken in Washington Square park in New York City.

Silver locket with four leaf clover design by The Bead Shop

The Creative Team Helps a New Makeup Artist, Gex Garcia

Ivorie: My long time friend and kabarkada Angelica Garcia (also known as Gex) started a new career as a make-up artist. To support her, my sisters and I helped in every way that we could to create her portfolio! Models during the shoot: Carisse Nepomuceno, Cesca Gutierrez and Cara Tan. Here are some shots of the shoot from Cris' SLR:

Behind the scenes

Carisse

Cesca and Carisse

Cara

The pictures from the shoot turned out great! I hope this will help start off Gex's new career! :) 

But let's not forget the outfits the creative crew wore that day!

On Ivorie: Black sando from Greenhills Tiangge White Braided belt from People are People Black skinny jeans from Forever21 Black laced up heels from Rosanna Pena (Cinderella)

Elephant necklace from Forever21

On Cristalle: T-shit from Bench Brown garrison leather belt from Esprit Demin shorts from True Religion 

On China: Green top/dress from Tiangge Wedge heels from Town Center Mall, Boca 

CRISTALLE: Ponti Night

Cristalle: It was raining outside and as usual, I didn't know what to wear.  I wore my glittery stirrup leotards and put my pinkish orange long spaghetti strap on top. I didn't feel comfortable wearing a tight outfit because my flabs will show (hehe) so I looked through my closet and found a white cover-up I bought a year ago in the Bangkok Chatuchak market. I actually thought of giving it away during our last cabinet clean-up session but I decided to keep it. I put on a thick belt to add a little shape to my outfit and wore brownish booties to match my belt.To top of the outfit, I put on some casual assorted Kabbalah inspired accessories and simple dangling earrings.

Pink Spaghetti Strap by Atmosphere White cover-up from Bangkok Chatuchak Market Shoes from Hongkong Leotards from HongKong Red and brown wooden beads Kabalah Bracelet from Jackie O'My FB online store earings from Forever 21 watch from Jim Beam belt from Mango ring from The Landmark

Classic Friendship Bracelets

Long before making friendship bracelets became popular, these neon friendship cords were already a big hit with the American kids. If you had one, you probably came back from a vacation in the US or had a balikbayan relative take home a few for you. But now it one item that me and my sisters share as a sign of our friendship! :) The pink one is my favorite! -China

Neon Friendship Cords

Sunday Brunch

China: Sunday for me means wearing my Sunday's Best. I got this black maxi dress with my cousin Sabs at The Landmark a year ago. I love that place. They have EVERYTHING! To add a little oomph to my outfit I wore a black and gold weaved belt, green sandals and a couple of chunky bracelets. I threw in a scarf to show my colorful personality :D The sunglasses was really an essential for the day because it was very sunny out. This outfit was inspired by a gray maxi dress worn by Vanessa Hudgens while doing errands ;)

Black Maxi Dress from The Landmark, Colorful Scarf from Bangkok Market, Belt from Greenhills Tiangge

Green Sandals from Mendrez, Peace Leather Bracelet from Coney Island, NY Street Market Chunky Rope Bracelet with Charms from Facebook Market (Hobby Loft)

Cristalle: Sundays are the best! Why? Because not only is it the day of the week for giving thanks to God for all the blessings he has showered upon us during the week but its also the day when I reward myself after working out the whole week at the gym...by having an awesome brunch with the family! We were about to go to Tagaytay and I didn't know what to wear.  I just wanted to make sure I wore something comfy and "pig-out" friendly. So I chose my stone-washed jeggings and a loose sweater. I felt a bit colorless so I grabbed my lime green sports bra and put it under to add a little color to my gray outfit. I added more color by choosing my Sanuks with a rainbow print as footwear and a slim wrap-around bracelet and neon green friendship bracelet and dangling statement earrings which that said "Peace" for my accessory.

Sweater Top from Topshop, Stonewashed Jeggings from Hong Kong, Lime Green Sports Bra from People Are People, Shoes by Sanuk, Black Wrap Magnetic Clasp Bracelet from Jeweler, Aviators from RayBan, Earrings from Forever 21

Ivorie: I didn't really think about what I was going to wear. My dad was rushing us that morning to reach the 7:30 am mass at Pink Sisters Tagaytay. I later realized that I had a theme going on. Please don't mind my face, I didn't have any make up on. hahaha! (P.S I love these flats from SUELAS. Super comfy!! Check them out at http://www.suelasonline.com )

Top from Zara, Black Bando from Tiangge, Jeans from JAG, Ballet Flats from Suelas, Baller Bracelet from Roxy
Evil Eye Bracelet from Union Square NY Street Market, Wrap Bracelet with Charms by Melissa Rentero