Katha Magazine - Issue 03 Jan/Feb 2014

ISSUE 03

Jan/Feb 2014

KATHA MASTERMINDS Geli Balcruz hellogelibee.blogspot.com Aya Dalumpines facebook.com/createbytlf

CONTACT US For submissions, advertising opportunities, and other inquiries kathamagazine.ph@gmail.com

SUBSCRIBE Sign up for our mailing list http://eepurl.com/DI7LT

EDITORIAL BOARD Andrea Dela Cruz mabuhaydiy.wordpress.com Allie Principe thefoureyedwonder.com

Cachi Reyes thepinkdoormat.blogspot.com

Illustrators Lando Cusi behance.net/landocusi

Ella Lama threesixtyfivepointfour.tumblr. com Charisse Reyes behance.net/cmtreyes CONTRIBUTORS Koni Esteban candidlypretty.blogspot.com

SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook kathamagazineph Twitter @kathamagazine Instagram kathamagazine Pinterest kathamagazine

Katha is a bi-monthly magazine for creatives, by creatives. Copyright is reserved. Reposting in whole or in part on other sites and publications without permission is prohibited.

All rights to photos and illustrations belong to their respective owners.

kathamagazine.tumblr.com

PEOPLE ALWAYS SAY “LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP” Sage advice for anyone, because it’s perfectly alright to feel a little bit cautious when treading into unfamilar waters. But don’t you think that all too often, we get stuck at the looking, and never, ever get to the leaping part of the process? Aren’t you tired of looking over the edge without actually taking the plunge?

It’s the new year, and new year is always the perfect time for a change. It’s certainly daunting, or better put, absolutely terrifying. But there are a lot of people out there who have taken that proverbial leap of faith in life and in love, and we’re thankful that some of them are sharing their stories with the rest of us within this issue’s pages.

Big leaps come in all forms and sizes, from doing a complete-180 in your career, or starting a new chapter with your beloved. We ourselves blindly leapt into starting this magazine, without any real knowledge of what we are supposed to be doing. All we had was our love for creating and sharing our discoveries with others. Taking that first step was all we needed to start something amazing.

So what are you waiting for? Start yours too, before or after you read this issue. We promise we won’t mind.

Cheers, The Katha Team

photo by Geli Balcruz

16

12 24

CONTENTS 26 60

40 72

82 78

06

CONTRIBUTORS

08

TALK

10

WHIMSIES

12

(HAND)MADE WITH LOVE

16

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

18

KATHA Q&A

20

PAPER GARDEN

24

FACEOFF

26

CREATIVE NOOK

28

HEY YOU

30

CRAFTERPRENEUR

32

HOME IS HEART

38

TRENDY LADY

40

CO.LOVE

58

THE ART OF MOVING

60

TWOSOME TRAVELING

62

LEAPS OF FAITH

72

BOXES OF LOVE

74

ONE CUP AT A TIME

78

CARRYING A TASTE OF HOME TO THE SEA

84

82

LOVE IN BITES

84

PLANNER PERFECT

88

REIMAGININGS

T H I S I S SUE ’S CO NTR I B U TOR S TREY AJUSTO is a full-time crocheter and owner of the online yarn store, “Gantsilyo Guru Selections.” She learned how to crochet almost 14 years ago in her high school economics class. She got hooked since then. She carries a crochet hook and yarn anywhere with her. In this issue, Trey will tell you how she got from working in jobs like real estate and sugar trading to finally pursuing her passion – crochet!

Check out her crochet work and other adventures on her blog, gantsilyoguru.com.

JOY CELINE ASTO is a twenty-something writer, aspiring photographer, part-time traveler, striving crafter and caffeine junkie from Manila, Philippines. She writes for Lomography Magazine and Parallel Planets. She reimagines the feeling of falling in love for this issue.

ALMI AND KIM ATIENZA have been wandering near and far since 2001. They consider traveling and making memories together their best investments in life. Read about their adventures and projects at thealkimis.net. They share some useful tips for traveling couples in this issue.

If you happen to get under MIA BONTOL ’s skin, you’d most probably find seawater coursing through her veins. An island girl to the core, she believes that having a love affair with the ocean is a way of life. She chases one dream destination after another, explores how to nurture meaningful relationships wherever she goes, and rides out with the twists that could only happen in her twenties at bravethewaves.net. In this issue, she invites you to celebrate love and friendship with a picnic at the beach.

CARLA CHUA is an aspiring fashion illustrator and watercolor artist who loves everything about fashion, food, cats and crafts. She loves browsing fashion blogs, magazine editorials and paintings that help inspire her to create. In 2013, she finally started her own sketchblog at carlachua.wordpress.com. Aside from illustrating, Carla is a fulltime IT professional working for a Danish company. In this issue, her fashion forecast for 2014 graces our pages.

MINA V. ESGUERRA is a chick lit/romance/new adult author, president of communications firm Bronze Age Media, development communication consultant, indie publisher, professional editor, wife, and mother. She blogs about this and everything else at minavesguerra.com. For our Hey You section, she encourages budding writers to just leap and start writing.

Tat Gualberto is a communications officer at a Resettlement Community for Typhoon Sendong survivors led by her alma mater, Xavier University- Ateneo de Cagayan. She is a Sendong survivor herself and her second life opened her up to new passions and old loves. In between changing the world and sipping a hot cup of tea, she designs stationery for her friends and works on her novel. Her idea of a great weekend is staying in her vanilla-painted room all day long, with her soul dancing to old-school music.

Kate Pedroso is a media worker and grad student. She likes pandas, children’s books, coming-of-age stories, designer beer and beach weather. She blogs at lastgirl.net/the. For this issue, she tells us her story about leaving home and moving in with her partner.

The Katha MASTERMINDS SHARE THEIR ANSWERS TO THE QUESTION

WHAT IS YOUR BIG LEAP FOR THE YEAR? GELI

AYA My big leap: I plan to expand my craft business and start workshops for kids, too!

I’ve taken quite a leap last 2013 and I’m making my 2014 special by preparing and challenging myself for something bigger while letting universe work on its magic. I want to just go out there, explore the world, participate more and be a go getter. Life is what you make it and I’m all up for making it awesome. On a more specific note/goal, I’m working harder to become good at calligraphy!

We’re also moving to a new office soon so hopefully, I also get to build my own craft space and library in it.

DREA

ALLIE

CACHI

I’m challenging myself with a 365 project that involves “creating” each day for 2014. I have a short attention span so this is quite a commitment. To make the challenge more interesting, I also vowed to experiment with the arts/crafts materials I’ve hoarded instead of just storing them and staring at them. I also plan on reading more than 100 books this year!

I’m about to embark on an entirely new journey in my career this 2014 that is both scary and exciting for me.

I’ll be working on foreign territory, so I know it will make this year the most challenging one for me yet!

But I’m looking forward to learning a lot from the experience, and I’m hopeful that it will take me one step closer to the dream job that I’ve always wanted to have.

I have been wanting to go on an adventure in Bali but I was too afraid to do it. Or let’s just say I kept procrastinating that’s why I wasn’t able to tick that off on my bucket list for 2013.

But this year I decided to just take the leap so I finally booked a ticket for me and my sisters on a backpacking trip to Bali. There’s no turning back this time!

8 | T ALK

bEFORE YOU READ ANY FURTHER Make sure you’re listening to our newest playlist, especially curated for this issue. Who can resist songs about love, love, love? We love you so much that we doubled the amount of songs for this issue’s playlist. Play this in the background while you’re writing love notes and making handmade V-day gifts for all the people you hold dear. Enjoy!

1. My Favorite Book Stars 2. Love Will Take You Angus & Julia Stone 3. Gotta Stay High New Radicals 4. Little Numbers BOY 5. Sunny Roa Emiliana Torrini 6. Steal His Heart Emily and The Woods 7. The Marble In Your Eye Sarah Harmer

8. U and I Cynthia Alexander 9. Everyday is a Holiday Esthero 10. Take It From Me The Weepies 11. Swoon Imogen Heap 12. Fresh Feeling Eels 13. You Make My Dreams Hall & Oates 14. Drove Me Wild Tegan and Sara

15. Say Hey (I Love You) Michael Franti & Spearhead 16. Love Lost Temper Trap 17. Turn It Well Up Dharma Down 18. Everyday Barbie’s Cradle 19. Think I’m In Love Beck 20. Such Great Heights The Postal Service

LISTEN HERE

M AK R

If you are the type who wants to create your own branding, then this app is for you. Makr is a free iPad app that will make your invites, business cards, and even product packaging look so much nicer! You can choose from different customizable templates, and select the color scheme and patterns.

M A PA P E L P H If you’re the type who’s crazy obsessed with making lists, then Mapapel have the perfect notepads for you! Mapapel’s notepads are just like your group of friends!

Each having colorful and creative personalities, injected with a dash of wit, humor and a whole lot of drama. Our personal fave?

Focus Teh, Focus! and Gorabels - Mahagardo Verzosa ka man today, wapakels na! notepads! Don’t you think these are the perfect notepads for jotting down your 2014 resolutions? Be Havey and take that leap this 2014!

H ARAYA S C E N TS Try these handmade room and linen sprays available in beautiful scents: Orange Mint, Lavender Vanilla, Peach Caramel, Jasmine, Apple Berry Blossom and Moroccan Mint Green Tea. Their best seller Lavender Vanilla has a calming scent and best used during bedtime, while Moroccan Mint energizes you in the morning. For orders, email them at haraya1129@ gmail.com or send a message at 09178844360.

70 00 I S LAN DS: A FO O D P ORT R A IT OF T HE PHILI PPI NES by Yasmin Newman This comprehensive guide to Philippine cuisine compiled by Yasmin Newman, a Filipino-Australian, whose understanding of the Filipino culture is solely based on food. The author relates Filipino food to its country’s history and the influences of other nations like Malaysia, Spain and USA. Bring this book with you if you plan on exploring the Philippines this year.

10 | WHIMSIES

B AC K PAC K B OOK

by Robert Alejandro

Travel 9 countries in South East Asia on a Php 50,000 budget? You gotta be kidding me! Well, you better believe it as Robert Alejandro, an artist, TV reporter and a true-blue backpacker shares with you his 10-week backpacking adventures around 9 countries in South East Asia. You’ll be amazed with what the Sketching Backpacker was able to do and draw during his trip.

Grab this book now and start planning your own adventure.

B LOG S

Read more, live creatively and take the leap - Sounds like your resolutions for this year? Our recommended blogs might help you to finally tick them off your list!

STAY BOOKISH staybookish.net

BUTTER PANDA butterpanda.tumblr.com

FIELD TRIPS TO THE REAL WORLD fieldtripstotherealworld.com

Hazel selflessly shares her book reviews, list and bookfessions.

Her blog will slowly convert you into a bibliophile and before you know it, you’ll see a big red check mark on that ‘read 20 books this year’ resolution.

Arielle’s blog is filled with charismatic illustrations amd typography, lively photographs and random days injected with loads of creativity. She also admits to have an incurable addiction to pandas and would love to receive a live panda in not so distant future.

This inspiring blog Charlene’s story of how she became a writer is a perfect illustration of knowing your life goal, following your gut feel, taking that huge leap of faith and letting the universe conspire in order to achieve your dream.

HATCH 22 C AFE & BAK E RY

A N N IN GS

instagram.com/annings Annings or Anna Avacena-Ignacio is a stay-at-home wife and mom from Manila whose currently based in Singapore. Her instagram feed includes lovely shots of quaint days with coffee over calligraphy, arts and crafts, a good book and quality time with her family.

Fancy some breakfast food?

Try eating at Hatch 22 located in Powerplant Mall Rockwell, Makati. You have got to try their NYOB (Not Your Ordinary Benedicts) and also their Chicken and Waffles.

WH IM SIES | 1 1

(HAND)MADE WITH LOVE There is nothing more special and personal than a simple handmade gift to a loved one. w o r d s an d p h otog r a p h s b y C a c h i R ey es

VALENTINE PILLOW BOX YOU WILL NEED Toilet paper roll Gift wrapping paper Yarn Glue Scissors Making pillow boxes out of toilet paper is easier than you think. You don’t need anything but your bare hands to be able to do it. This is perfect for containing small items like bracelets and gift cards.

What you first need to do is to flatten the cardboard tube. After flattening, open it up a bit with the sides looking like an almond-like shape. Push the ends of the tube towards the centre to create the flaps for the pillow box. Do that on both sides. Pinch the curves to define the shape of you box. And now you have a pillow box!

To decorate your pillow box, you can use gift wrapping paper, yarn, washi tape, bakers twine, scrap booking paper, anything goes really. You may also paint the cardboard to make a more fun and bright looking box.

I made small heart paper cutouts and glued them on the pillow box. It can also serve as a gift tag so you can write the name of the person you’re giving this to. Place rolled up messages and confetti inside the pillow box to surprise your loved one.

M AK E | 1 3

STAMPED VALENTINE CARDS Create a simple greeting card that you can give to your loved one. You don’t need to buy stamps to decorate your card.

Simply use the rubber eraser at the back of your pencil and voila!

YOU WILL NEED Ink pad in different colors Pencil with rubber eraser at the back White card stock paper Heart template On a piece of paper, trace the outline of the heart template with a pencil. You can use a heart shaped cookie cutter as a template or you can just draw the heart with your own hands. Cut it and tape it on the white card stock paper that you will be using as a greeting card.

Time to decorate! Press the pencil’s eraser on to the ink pad and start stamping on to the card stock paper. Make sure to use one color at a time so you won’t mix the colors on your eraser. I used pink, purple and red ink pads for this. If you do not have ink pads, what you can do is you can lightly dip your eraser in poster paint instead. This will produce stronger shades.

Extra tip: If you don’t want to decorate your card with plain circles, you can carve your pencil eraser with a cutter into different shapes like triangles, hearts, or squares.

You can embellish your card some more with gold circles. I punched gold paper to create shiny circles, sprayed adhesive on the card stock, and sprinkled the circles all over.

When it’s completely dry, you may remove the heart template and you can write down your message with a pen or whatever medium that you want to use. To stick to the stamped theme, I used my alphabet stamp set that I bought at Office Warehouse to write down my message.

M AK E | 1 5

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

WATERCOLOR There is nothing more special and personal than a simple handmade gift to a loved one.

Let’s get to know one of the most popular tools of the trade last 2013; Watercolor! Simply put, watercolor is an artists’ paint made with a watersoluble binder such as gum arabic, and thinned with water rather than oil, giving a transparent color.

Tracing back its history, watercolor was not considered as a primary medium for painting.

Architectural draftsmen and topographers from England as well as 19th century American artists mainly use this medium as a sketching tool as preparation for their oil painting.

It wasn’t until the genius of early artists such as J.M.W. Turner and Paul Sandby to name a few, who 16 | MAKE

saw the extraordinary potential of watercolor as a medium of expression.

J.M.W. Turner, coined as the “painter of the light” used watercolor in the most innovative ways possible. He was one of the many artists who experimented with washes, wiping out, scratching out and incorporating body colors. His watercolor paintings are equally breath taking with his oil paintings, no wonder he’s one of the most famous English landscape painter during his time.

Known as the father of “English watercolors”, Paul Sandby, a renowed Map maker mastered the use of this medium through his vivid landscape paintings

of the Welsh countryside. His mastery earned him a position in Britain’s Royal Academy.

Albrecht Durer and George Catlin, was one of the “explorer artists” who used watercolor to document their travels during the 1830’s. Also, during Civil War, on-the-scene watercolor drawings of the battlefields by reporters / artists were used as illustrations for newspapers and magazines such as Harper’s Weekly.

Since then, many of the greatest painters in the 19th and 20th centuries began using watercolor as a major medium with remarkable diversity and the need for high quality watercolor arise.

Thankfully, two brilliant minds responded to this need. William Winsor, a chemist, and Henry Newton, an artist, offered the widest choice of watercolor with greatest permanence. It was a match made in heaven! Art and science said their vows and Winsor & Newton became the largest artist’s materials supplier in up to date.

Nowadays, watercolor comes in tubes, palettes and even in pencil form. Several brushes and techniques are being discovered and taught to make the best possible watercolor painting. Go ahead, take that plunge and add color to your life!

M AK E | 1 7

K AT H A Q& A

I WISH I HAD THE COURAGE TO...

JOANNA SANTOS

JULIE ANN FLORES

avejux.tumblr.com

show them that I’m good enough.

facebook.com/jlianflores

CAMILLE SANCHEZ

instagram.com/camsanchez

show to the world my creations as a crafter.

start my own business using my talents & skills.

FAYE MARCOS

JACQUE PATUBO

fayska.blogspot.com

eclations.blogspot.com

LEO KEVIN MENDIOLA pursue my dream of becoming a full blown and full time crafter sooner!

Anastasiya Matyakh schwirrvogel.livejournal.com climb a mountain.

18 | T A L K

ohleo.blogspot.com

to jump off a cliff and dive to cold deep body of water.

CIONG

beautifulstreet.wordpress.com quit my job and learn about art & design & do crafting even if I’m not an artist by training

jump from being an employee to do illustration/art full time and launch my cupcake business with my sisters!

NICOLE CHUA

instagram.com/nikchua travel the world!

NEXT ISSUE’S QUESTION:

What was your favorite

CHILDHOOD TOY? SEND YOUR ANSWERS VIA OUR FORM AND BE FEATURED IN OUR NEXT ISSUE!

TALK | 1 9

20 | S HO W & TELL

A PAPER GARDEN Lucille Principe shares how she is making her own private garden, one piece of paper at a time. int e r v ie w a n d p h otog r a p h s b y A l l i e P r i n ci p e

SH OW & TELL | 2 1

22 | S HO W & TELL

Lucille Principe (Lawyer) instagram.com/lmprincipe What do you make?

I make paper flowers. I also dabble in decoupage crafts, making bulky crochet projects, beaded necklaces and just about anything that catches my fancy. But making paper flowers is my current favorite.

How many have you made so far?

I have lost count. I try to make a flower or two to wind down at the end of the week. There are times when I find myself in a state of flow that I am able to make much more.

How did you start making them?

I was into crafts in my elementary and high school years. I had to put it aside when i went to college and law school, and then i got married and raised a family.

When my kids left home for college, I found myself having more time to pursue my love for crafting. I saw the lovely paper flowers posted on pinterest and I was hooked ever since.

Any favorites from your works?

My favorite so far is the bouquet of assorted origami flowers I made. I enjoyed learning the different folds involved and I love how they turned out.

Why do you make paper flowers?

They look so pretty! I enjoy the process involved to achieve symmetry and balance in every flower that I make. I find it challenging enough to keep me interested and involved. I like it that I can make the flowers look traditional, whimsical or quirky.

Currently, I am hooked on the regimented folding system of making origami flowers and there are a lot of tutorials online. I am surprised that it is quite popular and I even see origami wedding bouquets being sold online.

What kind of paper flowers/paper crafts would you want to make next?

I want to make a giant wall garden of origami flowers.

I have yet to decide on the color scheme.

Any memorable stories about your craft that you want to share?

When I posted some of my creations on my instagram account I was surprised to find out that other origami and paper flower enthusiasts appreciate my work.

It gives me a sense of fullfilment knowing that my creations make others feel good.

SH OW & TELL | 2 3

FAC EOFF For this issue, we challenge this artsy pair to create papercut artworks with our theme in mind.

PWLO MENDOZA Band member on hiatus / rhyme writer / product developer / newbie crafter WHAT I LOVE MOST ABOUT MY PARTNER What I love most about my partner: She helps me put things into perspective when my days ain’t sunny (she loves rainy days though). She inspires me to keep doing what I really love and supports me genuinely.

24 | FACEO FF

by Geli Balcruz

LIEE LOZANO Papercutter / Full-time editor / part-time designer / old-timer crafter /newbie papercutting teacher WHAT I LOVE MOST ABOUT MY PARTNER I’ve never been asked this question. Hmm. He truly is my partner, my biggest fan, my best friend, and with him I am myself no matter how crappy I actually am.

F ACEOF F | 2 5

26 | S HO W & TELL

C R E AT I V E NO O K

soleil ign ac io

My studio is basically just a small room and I share it with my boyfriend, Kris Abrigo.

We both go here daily around 12-1pm and work until 10pm. It’s not much of a space but since it’s my/our first ever studio, I can’t be any happier. I used to work at home in my bedroom. At first I thought I loved it because it meant I get to save transportation and food money and that I can rest anytime. But that was also the problem! Since my bed was just beside me, I got so lazy all the time and just wanted to sleep hahaha. So anyway, that’s why we decided to get a studio.

Since I share the space with Kris, I have my own side and he has his. On my side, I have a long white table where I can use my laptop and at the same time paint beside it. I’m a messy person so I need extra space for all my clutter, hehe. I always think ‘a creative person has a messy workspace’! Kris’ side is more organized (most of the time). Beside my table is a bookshelf, where I keep my brushes, pencils, and other paint stuff, plus some other stuff like books and more little things.

I love working here because I can finally focus on my work, unlike when I was working at home. Plus I love the feel of being inside our studio and being surrounded by our work and our inspirations, it keeps me motivated.

28 | HEY YO U

A L M OS T AUTHOR Mina V. Esguerra encourages you to share your story and start writing.

Dear you, So I’m right about done with being blamed for everything. And I’m speaking up.

I’ve heard for what seems like the millionth time that same old line, “Oh I’ve been planning to write a book for ages, but you know how it is...” [insert excuse here]. And I thought, great, you’re talking about me -- the book you keep thinking about but never finish writing -- again like I’m not here.

I am here. I’ve been here for a long time. You don’t realize it, but that day when you read that very first story that you loved, and wondered if you could make one like it? I was born that day.

So what was the excuse the you gave? Because you have several. “I need more life experience.” Sure you do. I heard that and would have rolled my eyes, if I had them, and if you could see them. Do you think all those fantastic, clever tales you love were written by people who are actual wizards, spies, vampires, or thieves? OK, maybe a few of them are, but certainly not all. And where would you be, lover of these stories, if their authors hadn’t gone ahead and written them despite not getting enough “life experience” to be actual wizards, spies, vampires, or thieves? There’s a lot you need to learn, and I suspect, since you’ve been around in this world long enough, you already know it. The rest you can look up.

“Inspiration just isn’t coming yet.” I know you’re busy, so I try to sneak in the inspiration in small chunks. So you’re not overwhelmed. But apparently I’ve been too subtle, and you think that I haven’t been around. Did something about the weather,

your friend’s latest love life update, the evening news make you think about me lately? I leave clues for you everywhere, hoping you’ll pick them up and make me whole.

“I just never have the time to write.” Oh, this is rich.

There are the same amount of minutes per day, for you and more prolific writers alike. You can’t spare a few minutes on me, your future masterpiece?

I know how much time you spend on eating, sleeping, and other things. I know that you avoid making time for me because you worry that time spent on me will be a waste. I wish you would stop thinking that. When you spend even just a minute creating something you love, it’ll always be worth it.

(Even if the world thinks it’s crap -- but by then you won’t care.)

“I work better with a deadline.” I will tell you something, writer. I may like you, but I like other people too. I might just drop in on a more willing and able mind with this idea, if you know what I mean. Maybe I’m already doing that right now.

Don’t think that this genius idea of yours for a book is yours alone, and forever. It will be if you write it. If you don’t, someone else is going to, and I will find that person. If you need a deadline to get yourself writing, then here it is -- you had a deadline, and it was yesterday.

I hope you realize that I’m not some idea to be sheltered and kept forever. I chose you to write me.

Now do it.

Love, impatiently, The book you haven’t finished writing.

TALK | 2 9

30 | S HO W & TELL

C R A FT E R PR E N E UR

EUREKA!

BY TECHNICOLOR LOVER For most of us, having the courage to take the leap to start your own creative business is considered a scary and risky jump. Luckily, some people are able to find someone who’s willing to take that big leap with them.

Handling a business and being in a relationship might be a tough thing to juggle, but Gino and Michelle, the creative couple behind EUREKA! by Technicolor Lover, proves otherwise. Get to know them as they share a thing or two about finding a common ground for their love for arts and crafts and falling in love with the business of handmade.

Hello! We’re Gino and Michelle, we are both inclined to anything art and design related. We love vintage memorabilia, music, literature, film, furniture, and clothing. We are obsessed with our 3 pet rabbits, and 2 pups – Sunday and Lady.

– from music to poetry to places we visited, artists and designers we look up to (Supakitch & Koralie are personal favorites), and even experiences and encounters we’ve made. But the one thing that inspires us the most is our advocacy to create art for a purpose and use this as a tool to inspire our customers.

THE BIRTH OF EUREKA!

TYPICAL DAY IN THE LIFE OF GINO AND MICHELLE Since we both have day jobs, we really have to find the time within the week to express ourselves and create things. Gino, a BS Interior Design graduate usually dedicates a day or two in hand crafting the dream catchers while Michelle, who took up AB Fashion Design and Merchandising, works on her illustrations and digital collages after she gets home from work.

We both share a common interest for art and design and we always try to inject creativity in our relationship. For instance, on special occasions, we try to be creative with the gifts we give to each other. A perfect example would be during our 3rd anniversary wherein Gino made a hundred of mobile paper cranes accompanied by a candlelit dinner. And on our 4th anniversary, Michelle made a small garden picnic style setup with Christmas lights and a hippie-inspired makeshift canopy made out of different colored crepe papers with walls made out of manila paper containing phrases or lines from our favorite books and poems.

DESIGN INSPIRATION We usually draw inspiration from a variety of things

Eureka! refers to an idea or a discovery and that’s how we can best describe our small enterprise – it’s an imaginarium where we concoct new ideas and translate it into unique eye candy pieces. For now, our main products consist of our handmade dream catcher ornaments and accessories, silkscreened tote bags, shirts and pillows with original illustrations, digital collage prints, and wood paintings.

Our vision for Eureka! by Technicolor Lover is to become a lifestyle and clothing brand that will still retain its niche of creating advocacies through the pieces we will carry. We hope to someday set up shop, so we can better share the lovechildren of our brains and hands. But for now, you can catch us at our social media accounts and at Legazpi Sunday Market every Sundays, from 7AM-2PM. NUGGETS OF WISDOM Just be original and love what you’re doing. You have to be dedicated and make use of your time wisely because it can really be time consuming.

It won’t be a walk in the park but as long as you believe in what you do, eventually your business will grow and people will believe in your vision and products.

SH OW & TELL | 3 1

32 | D WELL

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS A wedding is one thing, but living together after is one of the bigger leaps you take in marriage. We sat down with husband and wife Elbert and Lorra Or, the minds behind comics blog, Homeycomb: The Married Life [homeycombcomics.wordpress.com] - to talk about living together in their new home. We’ll also try to help th em design their space to fit their needs and compromise their preferences. interview and 3d visuals by Aya Dalumpines comic illustrations by Elbert Or and Lorra Angbue-Te Or

D WELL | 3 3

34 | D WELL

LORRA ANGBUE-TE OR Describe yourself in 3 words. quirky, detail-oriented, artsy Describe your partner in 3 words. creative, funny, geeky Describe your ideal design aesthetic for your home.

French country and Martha Stewart-inspired combined Describe your partner’s ideal design aesthetic for your home.

Minimalist, like stepping into a Muji store Describe your organization style.

I like arranging things by color and size, especially when it comes to books, which we have a lot of.

For example, I like stacking them from biggest to smallest, or if they have color themes, placed to form the rainbow. When it comes to the pantry, I like placing taller items at the back so nothing is hidden and we get to use everything, but also making sure that the newer items of the same kind are at the back of older items, so we eat the ones that might expire first.

Describe your partner’s organization style.

I think we have similar styles, but to be honest, I

haven’t really noticed his organization style much because all of our things are really mostly on the floor for now because we still don’t have bookshelves and other shelving for everything else.

What’s the best idea you brought into your home in terms of design and organization?

I love adding small decorative items to our space like artwork, pictures, and cute mementos from travels.

It makes the home happier and more personal, with items that remind us of wonderful memories.

What’s the best idea your partner brought into your home in terms of design or organization?

He likes to stick to the bare essentials so in that way, we’re able to get rid of unnecessary clutter (most of the time).

What’s one thing you would change in your current home organization system, if you could?

Definitely get around to having a proper space for everything so we can finally start creating a home office. We’ve just been working on our dining table since moving in and that’s been very inefficient and oftentimes tedious, because we have to clear it for lunch and dinner, and then put work things back after so we can continue working on projects.

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ELBERT OR Describe yourself in 3 words.

Creative, persistent, geeky Describe your partner in 3 words.

Loving, thoughtful, and creative Describe your ideal design aesthetic for your home.

The designs I like are usually uncluttered and spacious, almost minimalist. Everything has its function (and preferably multi-functional!), although I wouldn’t be averse to a few accent pieces that showcase my and my wife’s geekier interests!

Describe your partner’s ideal design aesthetic for your home.

Lorra likes spaces that look homey and rustic, something that looks lived-in as opposed to looking like just a showroom. If she had her way, she’d probably want our house to look like one of those Sylvanian Family dollhouses!

Describe your organization style.

I like to sort things together based on their function: a dedicated space for work, a space for sleeping, a space for dining, etc. And I can never have enough storage space: because we both like books and we work with paper a lot, there’s an immense amount of 36 | D WELL

things that we tend to accumulate very, very quickly.

If I could make it so that everything in the house can double as storage space, I would!

Describe your partner’s organization style I’m not quite sure what the answer to that is because we’ve been married for only a few months, but I’m sure I’ll find out the answer to that soon.

What’s the best idea you brought into your home in terms of design or organization?

I like that we bought drawers for the bedroom. But I wish we had more! Still looking for the perfect shelves and cabinets, because I would much prefer stashing everything away until they’re needed!

What’s the best idea your partner brought into your home in terms of design or organization?

I never would have thought of baskets for the towels and bed sheets. Thankfully, my wifey did!

What’s one thing you would change in your current home organization system, if you could?

More shelves, more cabinets, and a dedicated space for working.

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SH OW & TELL | 3 7

TRENDY LADY Creative maven Carla Chua reimagines upcoming fashion trends this 2014.

TEA LENGTH SKIRT

BOMBER JACKET

LOOSE TROUSERS

NAUTICAL INSPIRED

Choose a skirt that falls a little below the knee. Tuck in your top to lengthen your leg line and remember to wear your pretty heels!

A bomber jacket gives off a sporty,chic vibe to any outfit.

For a more feminine approach, wear it with a flirty dress.

Find a cut and fit that is right for your body type. Pair your loose trousers with fairly fitted tops to balance it out.

Stripes will always remain a classic pattern. Paired with blue, red, black or white - you instantly give an air of boarding a luxurious yacht.

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SHEER TOPS

CHECKERED PATTERNS

FLORAL PRINTS

CROPPED TOPS

Layer your clothes when wearing sheer tops, just remember to find complimenting colors. To look less risqué, keep your sheer top loose, tuck it in your fitted pants or pencil skirts.

For versatility, pick a checkered top or bottom in black and white or in primary colors. Then keep the rest of your outfit as simple as possible.

A floral printed dress paired with sneakers give off a casual and feminine vibe. This pretty print can be found in bags, sneakers, tops, bottoms, caps, jackets - have fun trying things out!

Just show a little skin on your midriff and avoid exposing your belly button. Stay chic by wearing your cropped top with high-waisted bottoms and topped with a blazer or jacket.

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CO.LOVE Creative couples collaborate and share their own stories and interpretations aboout this issue’s theme of big leaps and change.

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JOWEE AND WIJI ABOUT THE COUPLE Jowee Alviar is the Creative Director of Team Manila. Wiji Lacsamana is a freelance illustrator and tattooer. They are parents to two french bulldogs, Puiji and Otto Potot, and 1 potbellied pig, Pinkerton.

CONCEPT BEHIND THE ARTWORK We wanted to incorporate elements of our daily lives that strengthen us; maybe ‘big leaps’ isn’t about something so massive that happens every now and then, but the accumulation of everyday joys and hurdles.

WHAT DID YOU DISCOVER ABOUT YOUR PARTNER WHILE WORKING ON THIS TOGETHER? We’ve collaborated a number of times before, the last one for a scarf brand we put up called Radioactive Mushrooms in the Project. We’ve discovered that we had different notions of what the ‘big leap’ is in our relationship.

VISIT THEM teammanila.com cargocollective.com/TheCuriousStudio cargocollective.com/RadioactiveMushroomsintheForest

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RUBEN AND TRINA ABOUT THE COUPLE Rubbertree Design Studio is Ruben and Trina Flores. With backgrounds in industrial design and studio arts, their design method is grounded on a shared aesthetic and a dedication to materials, technique & process.

CONCEPT BEHIND THE ARTWORK A big leap can be in any form, physical, psychological, emotional... it’s always exciting, most times hard. We thought of coming up with a piece that would embody all these.

This piece is a travel bag. For us, travel is always a big leap, with new things to see, new flavors to taste, the possibility of getting lost, the sheer movement is exciting! Travel can be mental and emotional as well - the decision to commit to something or someone, leaving old, trusted things and a venue for discovering new things and new people.

The piece uses a single hide, meaning, there was no room for error, the math had to be right and it had to be useful and beautiful as well! So it took us some time to commit to cutting it after a long incubated planning period. We’ve always wanted to make one, always setting it aside as we knew it would take quite some time to make. Thanks to your challenge, we had to face that quiet reservation and dove into it. It’s almost done!

WHAT DID YOU DISCOVER ABOUT YOUR PARTNER WHILE WORKING ON THIS TOGETHER? We’re both very committed to solving design challenges, always having our love for whatever material we’re working with as the focus. We enjoy marrying material constraints and strengths with the purpose of our end product. We do this with enjoyment because we are working on a piece together, respecting each other’s strength and excited with how a piece will get into becoming.

VISIT THEM bagsbyrubbertree.com rubbertree.ph

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LANDO AND ALLIE ABOUT THE COUPLE Lando Cusi and Allie Principe have been doodling together since 2010. They are both licensed architects, and they dream of having their own studio someday. They have a shared passion for good design, weird dances, and cuddly animals.

CONCEPT BEHIND THE ARTWORK We recently got accepted to work in Tokyo, and it’s going to be a very big leap for both relationship and career. We’re both fascinated with Japanese culture, and we’re equally excited and nervous about what awaits us in the Land of the Rising Sun. WHAT DID YOU DISCOVER ABOUT YOUR PARTNER WHILE WORKING ON THIS TOGETHER? We’ve worked together long enough to have a good idea of where each other’s strengths lie. For this particular doodle, Lando did the drawing while Allie did the coloring. We always try to explore new techniques and processes when working together.

VISIT THEM thesnickerdoodles.tumblr.com thefoureyedwonder.com behance.net/landocusi

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DANIEL AND JOANNIE ABOUT THE COUPLE Daniel Lei & Joannie Candi Sarmiento are the couple behind Daniel Lei Studio which specializes on wedding photography and videography. Joannie also dabbles in calligraphy and sells her work in her Etsy store -Papers and Pastels.

CONCEPT BEHIND THE ARTWORK It’s about new leaps and turning a new leaf and new chapters for family life especially now that we’re pregnant. We’re both excited and inspired for more artistic output that we would also want our child to grow into. We’re hoping that she or he will also be an artist.

WHAT DID YOU DISCOVER ABOUT YOUR PARTNER WHILE WORKING ON THIS TOGETHER? Not much because we’ve been working together in our studio for 6 years now but we just got back into doing collaborative artworks this year when Joannie found her talent in calligraphy. So I guess that’s something new for us.

VISIT THEM danielleistudio.com instagram.com/joanniecandi

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ZACH AND AILA ABOUT THE COUPLE Zach and Aila Sim Yonzon have been together for ten years and married for seven. They have three children - two daughters and a son - or four if you count our business of making cakes, The Bunny Baker cake studio. They are the one-two punch behind some of the most creative celebration cakes in the country; they are constantly trying to push sugar art to a new level with every custom order that rolls out of their humble home office in San Juan. They now employ a small team of talented cake decorators, butthey are partners not only in our business, but also with their endeavors in fitness, parenting, and all their shared passions... which is pretty much everything.

CONCEPT BEHIND THE ARTWORK Although the art piece may not literally reflect the theme of “Big Leaps,” the artwork is a big leap for both of us in a lot of ways. The art depicts Usagi Yojimbo, a cartoon character created by cartoonist Stan Sakai. He is one of Zach’s favorite storytellers and one of the creators who has had the most impact in his life. Recently, we learned that Sakai’s wife has been suffering from a debilitating illness requiring hospitalization and resulting in consequent pile-up of bills. The comics industry has called upon creators to submit artworks to submit to an auction of which the proceeds will go to towards helping the Sakai’s.

This is a big leap because we’ve never done an artwork for auction before. Who would put an edible statue up for auction? Would anyone buy it? It’s a leap of faith. It will also make an almost literal big leap as it needs to be shipped to the United States to be part of the auction. We’ve never shipped a fondant topper on its own before - our past orders that have made it to other countries were all hand-carried. For the first time, we’ll be entrusting our sculpt to a courier service. It’s a big leap because we’ve never made a pure sculpt on a display stand without a cake before. It’s a big leap because we hope to touch the lives of the Sakais in gratitude, to show Stan Sakai Zach’s unfathomable appreciation for his work and the influence he’s had on him.

WHAT DID YOU DISCOVER ABOUT YOUR PARTNER WHILE WORKING ON THIS TOGETHER? We know each other so well that new discoveries come few and far between. We did learn something, though. The Bunny Baker is really named in honor of my love for all things cute and cuddly, like bunnies. Zach is quite the opposite in that sense, as he’s into edgier, darker stuff. It turns out, one of Zach’s favorite comic characters of all time is a bunny!

Usagi means ‘rabbit’ in Japanese. Even when we think we’re different from each other, we still find common ground.

VISIT THEM thebunnybaker.com

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BRU AND MARCUS ABOUT THE COUPLE Bru and Marcus are artists at Electrolychee Graphic Design Studio.

CONCEPT BEHIND THE ARTWORK We live together so drawing each other’s collections was a natural collaboration, each of us inserting a fringe object that forms part of the others sundries. In Marcus’ case it was the nail cutter, and for Bru her lone blue pair of shoes.

WHAT DID YOU DISCOVER ABOUT YOUR PARTNER WHILE WORKING ON THIS TOGETHER? It was an exercise in seeing everyday items in a different light. Affection for the mundane.

VISIT THEM electrolychee.com

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TALK | 5 7

TH E ART O F MOV ING Kate Pedroso leaps from one home to another and unpacks her story.

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I was sixteen when I moved out of our small town to go to college. Having lived a fairly sheltered life, this was a considerable leap – I was going to live with people I didn’t know for an entire semester at the least, in a campus that terrified me: UP Diliman.

The first night was the hardest. I moved in on a Sunday afternoon with a week’s worth of clothes, not knowing what awaited me. When my roommates arrived, we exchanged awkward greetings. I had a hard time being friendly so I kept my head down the whole night, writing into a small notebook while waiting for sleep. Needless to say, I was anxious, jittery and excited - I don’t remember sleeping much, if at all.

But you know what they say about things getting easier - true enough, after the first night, the worst was as good as over. Soon I got comfortable, picking up vices and affording a few late nights. This new life was relatively easy – I did my small laundry on Wednesdays and learned to cook pancit canton using reusable containers and hot water. My roommates and I spent nights in the common room, studying and talking until lights out. I went home to my parents on weekends with my big laundry and tried to keep my newfound cigarette habit a secret.

I was nineteen when our boarding house shut down, so I had to move again the summer after junior year.

It was March and the second floor room we found on Maginhawa faced the street and the afternoon sun.

Tricycles drove past the window 24/7 but as long as I held my own keys, that was all that mattered. At the time, I was also in love in that young, stupid way – in my small studio, we made a small secret life and built a fort around it. It wasn’t the smartest thing, but the handful of years I spent on Maginhawa (the pre-restaurant row, Grill-Queen-and-Ababu-only Maginhawa) taught me the hardest, most precious lessons.

Fast-forward to three years later: I was twenty-one and newly employed in another city. It was a difficult year marked by loss and changes, and that was when I decided to move out of Quezon City and into Makati. It would be accurate to say this was where

Drea found me – in a small room with linoleum on the floor and nothing but a bed, a desk and an old laptop. She moved in with me soon after we got together, and we never really looked back.

That moving in was actually a bigger leap than moving from one end of the train station to the other should have surprised me, but it didn’t. Living alone was different from living with someone, and every other housing configuration – living with family, living with strangers – was entirely different from living with your lover.

We’ve been together more than six years and we’ve already moved together twice. The first time was two years in, and we moved two floors up. At the end of it, we looked at each other, exhausted: Let us never move again, we said, looking at our piles of books and magazines. We stayed for four more years, during which the room was the silent witness to art, take-home work, travel souvenirs and grad school exams.

We had filled this life so steadily that when it was time to move again, we knew – sitting on the floor in the midst of the books, magazines, notebooks and CDs that we had accumulated for four years, we knew – this leap was about to be the biggest yet.

And it was. It took us weeks to pack our lives back into boxes, and weeks more to give away things we thought would be better cared for elsewhere. And if we were to go by our aching bones at the end of that weekend we spent moving from the old apartment to the new one, we have it on good authority that it was, indeed, the hugest leap we’ve made so far.

I am twenty-eight now and having moved five times in the last decade amidst changing times, I find it comforting to discover that every leap’s lesson has more or less remained the same: Moving is all about whittling it down to the basics, getting to the core of things, and shedding - lots and lots of shedding.

We choose what stays with us. Looking around now to see what is left, I just think: How lucky.

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TWO S OME TR AV ELING Tips to make travelling with your significant other more fun, awesome and memorable .

W o r d s b y A l m i Il ag an- A ti en z a

I l l u s tr a ti on s b y Kh r i s I s r a el A ti en z a

There are two things that make a traveler’s heart feel young, wild and free: to see the world, and to see it with the one person who caught the traveler’s wandering heart. What makes every twosome travel experience memorable varies from one couple to another, here are a few things to make every wandering moment together be as smooth, stress-free and enjoyable as possible.

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1. Start a travel fund. Travel planning mostly revolves around money so you can look at having a travel fund as having half-planned trips by default.

We recommend that you determine how much each of you can shell out each month for the fund so that you would equally feel deserving to spend it.

2. Make a list of places to visit together. This will determine the similarities and differences in your travel goals - arrange them by geographical area or priority.

3. Go somewhere you have never traveled. Tick off items from your “places to visit together” list one by one. Travel as much as you can, but see the whole world in slow motion. Rushing often results to stress and will make your trip exhausting than relaxing.

4. Have a timetable for your trips. Plot your adventures so that you will always have something to look forward to.

5. Draft a flexible itinerary. Once you have decided on your next trip, make a list of the places and things you want to see and do there. Do your research and group the activities that can be done in day.

6. Pack your baggage together. Ideally, doing so will maximize your baggage allowance as you will be able to eliminate things that you can share with each other, such as snacks, toiletries, etc. This will also minimize the blaming game.

7. Coordinate your outfits. Having coordinated outfits will save you from a bad souvenir photo.

Having coordinated outfits will also help you spot each other amid a crowd in case you accidentally lost each other, it can be used as a reference in finding your significant other.

8. Try being spontaneous. Once in a blue moon, welcome the idea of having a no-plan plan and on a whim, hop on that bus together or book the next available flight to anywhere. Let the universe take control and be ready for surprises—both good and bad. Hold hands and scream: “Adventure time!”

9. Talk with strangers. Where you have been and how you see those places are just a tiny part of what the world is and can be. You will learn about and see more of the world through other people. In the process, you are also bound to meet many very interesting personalities.

10. Travel with a group sometimes. It is easy to be caught up in the you and me and the world feeling.

No matter how wonderful, this is also borderline to isolation. Go back to your list and decide which places you would not mind visiting with a group and then tag along your wanderer friends.

12. Decide on your mandatory travel photo and/ or video together. One way to keep documenting to a minimum is to agree on the must-take pictures or clips per destination. Having at least a photo together, and a solo picture of each would be ideal.

13. Take as many, and as few, photos and video clips as possible. No one can stop you from documenting your trips together but just know when taking photos and videos becomes the main focus. Hone the ability to identify the moments that you should capture and those that are meant to capture you.

14. Create a keepsake of your travels together. Give all those photos and videos a home. Be it a treasure box, a scrapbook, or an online website; just make one together. While updating and browsing through your travel keepsakes, you are bound to discover how similar or different each of you view your travels.

15. Use the map, get lost, find your way, repeat.

Whether you can read a map or not, always have one with you. Of course, it would be better if at least one of you knows how to use a map. But getting lost sometimes means more adventure. Just know that together, you can always find your way back.

16. Find a home away from home. In the course of your journey together, the two of you will eventually feel a mutual homesickness for a particular place.

Make this your go-to destination whenever the two of you are feeling the itch to get away from your daily lives.

17. Be buddies to the very end. Whatever happens during your trip always bear in mind that you are a team. Do not turn against each other, and instead continue to help and care for each other along the way. If you are still the best of friends when you get home, that is a good indication you and your partner are in for the long haul. Replenish that travel fund, look at your list, and dream about traveling the world together. Again and again and again.

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LEAPS OF FAITH We share three inspiring stories that define what it really means to take the plunge.

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JUMP IN Keshia Ines Fraser, the woman behind the handmade swimwear line, Sundae, shares her story about taking the exciting plunge in the world of business.

I’m probably the biggest beach bum I know. Most weekends I go to the beach with my beloved beach buddies. I make and sell swimwear, under the brand “Sundae”. There’s nothing better than a cool and tempting ice cream sundae on a hot day in the beach, hence the name. It also sounds like Sunday, which is a perfect day for unwinding and relaxation, like a mini-holiday. My dream for Sundae is for it to be known not just as a brand, but also a way of living, a lifestyle. I want Sundae to help in making the Philippines known as one of the best places to get your swimwear from, especially since we have some of the finest beaches in the world. I wanted to make stylish and comfortable swimwear that beach bunnies can bring to every holiday, every trip to the beach.

My designs are based on dream swimwear that I’d like to take with me during my beach trips and I’d like to share them to all the other beach-lovers out there. I’ve always been into bikinis! When I was young and got Christmas pamasko from my ninongs and ninangs, I’d use them to buy new bikinis. I have also been going to the beach ever since I was a baby.

I’ve been told my mom would be diving and my yaya and I would just stay in the boat waiting, so I guess it’s in the genes since my mom loved the \

beach, too, and my dad is a sailor. I used to work for a luxurious car brand here in the Philippines and I’m grateful for all the branding and marketing I learned while working for them which I apply to my venture now. I was also a real estate agent and this helped me gain knowledge and experience in the world of sales.

It’s basically a DIY venture, a huge leap for me, when I put up Sundae. At the beginning there was a bit of trial and error involved. I would open up my old bikinis and study how they are constructed, and experiment by making my own style and techniques, too. When I started the brand, I was doing it on my own, and I did things my way, as I saw best. I took up basic fashion, pattern and merchandising classes for a while. I make my own patterns for the swimwear, and the learnings from class definitely helped. I read a lot of fashion books and some friends who are in this type of business have also given me advice along the way.

Nowadays, I’m so grateful to have my very talented and hardworking seamstress help me in creating the swimsuits. We learn from one another and it’s a constant learning process every day. I still have a long way to go but it’s all about believing in my dreams like no one else does. In trying new things, it’s important to face your fears, since you’ll never know how awesome the possibilities could be unless you try. Listen to your gut feel and do what you want to do, not what the others say you should be doing.

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HOME STREET HOME

Rusty shows off his Pen Artworks, revealing ink-stained hands and a proud artist’s smile. The 22 year-old young artisan is bursting with excitement, ready to share his story to the world- a story that almost 20 years ago, only the streets of Cagayan de Oro City knew.

by Tat Gualberto A lack of luck He could barely remember his age then, but Rusty knew it was his older brother who took him under his care. He brought Rusty to the streets, where they met other street children from broken families, just like theirs. They slept in cold slabs of cement. One night, his brother did not come back to their usual spot. Rusty was left without anyone to count on but himself. From then on, he knew he had to struggle in order to survive. “Everyday, survival. Naka testing nako mamaligya Balut, newspaper, mag labor (I’ve experienced selling Balut, newspaper and rendering labor services)”, Rusty recalls. He admits to have even committed theft when he was only about 8 years old. “Wala ko kabalo sa akong gipang buhat (I didn’t know what I was doing)”, he said. He and his friends only worried about how they would make it through one day. He’s been to prison countless times, for minor charges and worse, for crimes he never committed but was made to admit. An uneducated street child, he did not understand what he was made to do. This cost him 4 years of his life behind bars.

Hope knocks But this experience left Rusty without a single regret. After all, this was when what he would call “miracles” started to happen. It was almost Christmas time and he was in jail again, tired of seeing the same old faces of his fellow inmates. He made a deal with God. “If maka laya ko, mag service gyud ko sa mga people. (If I will be set free. I will be of service to other people) I’ll be doing my best.

You know my heart.” He wished to go out before Christmas, even just to see the fireworks. As he flipped his mat that night, he saw a small piece of paper. He made it to read a bible verse from Mark 11:22 written on it, “Have Faith in God”. It struck Rusty and made him realize “Naa pa diay ko’y hope

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(There’s still hope for me)”. True enough, he got out on the 24th and the rest is history.

StARting anew With all of life’s ups and downs, what kept Rusty sane was his passion for art. “Naa na sa ako ang art.

Bata pa ko, ga drawing-drawing na ko. Wala lang ko kabalo nga mao na diay toh ang art. (I’ve always had art within me. When I was still a child, I’d draw things. I just didn’t know my works were already considered art)”. The first painting he ever sold was titled Gaway sa Kinabuhi (Tentacles of Life), a piece made from organic materials like guava sap.

He draws his inspirations for his art from the beauty of nature. All of his works have a distinct artistic touch that truly make it his own. One of his best creations yet is his Pen Art. These are handmade pens that come in different designs and earthly shades.

He makes these by obtaining sap from rubber tree and jackfruit, mixes them together using his own patented technique and dries them up to form a hard, rubbery material. “4 years nako gi studyhan ang mixing (I studied the mix for 4 years)”, Rusty says.

His pens have intricate designs that speak of nature and humanity.

Rusty co-founded Dire Husi (Here, friend) a group of local artists training out-of-school youth to learn about arts and crafts for livelihood and even making indigenous musical instruments. He and his former group bring their students to an artisan’s hub they established called Artsville. They help the students identify their natural artistic gifts and train them to excel in their own field.

A leap higher Not only did he get back his freedom, he dared to take a leap into education. “Wala ko nag expect maka gawas ko, maka skwela ko. Nag dream ra baya ko (I didn’t expect that I could still get out, that I could still go to school. I only dreamt of all these things).”

Rusty had a thirst for learning. He started sitting in the classes of a public elementary school to learn basic literacy. “Basa ug sulat lang. Makabalo mag sukli, aron dili ko ma ilad ( Just to learn how to read and write and give proper change, so I won’t get

swindled).” This is how he got to learn about the Alternative Learning System (ALS). He passed the exam and landed himself a college scholarship to Xavier University- Ateneo de Cagayan where he is now a senior Development Communication student.

When asked how he felt about passing the ALS exam and going to college, “Lipay kaayo ko. Wala gud ko nag grade school, wala nag high school (I am very happy, considering I didn’t even get to attend grade school and high school).”

Rusty has come a long way. He has represented Dire Husi in receiving the top 1 finalist award for the Ten Outstanding Youth Organization (TAYO). He was also a pioneer awardee for the British Council’s I am a Changemaker. But the greatest achievement for this 22-year old is having a little home for himself and his siblings, providing for their needs through his art. ***

To all his fellow dreamers, Rusty shares “Dili lang gyud mag lose hope. Buhaton ang damgo... dili pwede mag damgo lang pirmi. Kun puro lang damgo, wala gyu’y mahitabo. Ipakita nila ilang gusto i-prove. It takes time. Ako dugay kaayo ko nakabalo unsay ahead. Pero gaka lipay ko bisag gani ga lisod ko. ( Just don’t lose hope. Work out your dreams. You can’t keep dreaming because nothing will happen if you will do just that. Show others want you want to prove. It takes time. I myself did not know what was ahead for me then. But I remained happy in what I do, even in difficult times).” Today, the little boy from the street is still filthy. But not with dust and mud, but rather, with rich, colorful experiences splashed all over his beautiful soul. He is now, home sweet home.

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HOOKED FOR THE LONG HAUL Trey Ajusto on why work seems like play when you follow your bliss.

I learned how to crochet almost fourteen years ago in my high school home economics class. While my classmates crocheted doilies or coasters, I crocheted a 3D Christmas tree. My teacher actually initially refused to accept my project because she thought someone else made it for me.

I got hooked since then. I got amazed by what a simple hook and a ball of yarn can do. My personality as a detail-oriented and logical individual actually jived with the nature of this craft.

I continued to crochet even in college. I did small projects and hid them – as if trying to keep this hobby to myself. I thought it wasn’t cool to be seen or even be known doing this craft which was usually associated with grandmas.

I always knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur, which is why I took up Management. I had no idea back then when I would have a business and what kind I’ll be putting up. My career path since graduating from college had been quite interesting. I sought as much experience as I can in order to figure out what I want to commit myself to.

I went through an odd mix of jobs. My first one was in real estate. I even passed the real estate licensure exam but did not pursue that path. After that, I ventured into sugar trading for almost 3 years. When sugar didn’t taste as sweet for me anymore (pun intended), I transferred to marketing. After just over a year, I decided to move on. Then I found myself working for a mining company for a few months.

Let’s just say, that one didn’t quite work out for me.

None of them, obviously, made me feel that the work involved was worth committing to for the longer term.

I already turned 30, which was last year, when I found myself looking for another job. I felt that no

career opportunity out there was right for me. It felt like a quarter-life crisis of sorts. At 30, I felt I had to turn things around and do something worth my time. So while I was waiting for developments in some job applications, I started blogging about my passion – crochet.

I never left crochet. Even in between those odd jobs, I found time to crochet. My friend, Alessa Lanot, asked me to co-design and crochet earrings for her accessories collection a few years back. These pieces landed in known local fashion magazines and got sold out. I didn’t think up until then that people would like what I crocheted.

My blog is called “Gantsilyo Guru.” My friends used to call me the “crochet guru,” thus the name. I opted to use “gantsilyo,” the Tagalog word for crochet (or knitting), because I wanted to be known as a Filipino crocheter.

My blog became an outlet for me to show all those crocheted projects I hid in the past. The more entries I made, the more I felt empowered to promote this craft.

I was suddenly on a mission to prove, especially to Filipinos, that crochet is not just for grandmas. It is an accessible craft that can be done by anyone willing to learn. I also wanted people to know that you can crochet other interesting and creative projects apart from doilies and table covers.

After a few weeks of blogging, I got inquiries to teach crochet; so I started holding workshops in various locations. I told myself at some point that there must be something good and promising going on for me here. It’s a great feeling doing something you love, being able to share your passion with others, and actually earning from it. Apart from conducting crochet workshops, I also made custom crochet work – from beanies to bedspreads and even wedding accents.

Just before this year started, I realized that crochet was already taking up my time. It was keeping me busy in a way that I really loved. Even if I had to put in more hours of work than my regular office hours, I genuinely enjoyed what I was doing. I decided to go full time with crochet

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when I began planning to sell materials like yarn and crochet hooks. While it felt like a natural decision for me to go full time with crochet, it was also a big risk. At 30, any investment in time and resources is a big risk.

It was important for me to start my business right, so I made sure I had some plan in place before I dove into it.

I also registered my business and secured the necessary permits to operate it.

I launched my online yarn store just this August. A lot of hard work was put into setting up the site and customizing it for the products I offer. Starting a business requires a lot of hands on work. Prepare to do everything yourself.

The discipline required to manage a business is even greater than being employed and reporting to a boss.

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Whatever decision you make or action you take has direct implications to your business’ performance…and you will feel the effect head on, be it good or bad. Back when I was an employee, it was easy to forget about work after 5pm.

Now that I own a business, work never stops in the sense that your mind is into it 24/7.

I have always thought, “what if?” - what if I started my business earlier and what if I did not become an employee.

I realized though that had it not been for my experience in the corporate world, I wouldn’t have the maturity to handle a full-fledged business.

At the end of the day, what will make you decide to make a big leap is your commitment. You may have the passion, but are you committed to it?

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BOXES O F L O V E E words by Andrea dela Cruz

illustrations by Charisse Reyes

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Here’s a creative gift idea for your significant other that’s completely customizable and absolutely memorable: Date boxes! Simply fill a box with items related to a date theme, set a date and time for the grand box opening, and be ready for that impromptu date that comes with its contents.

We’ve come up with some date box themes that you can modify as you wish, depending on what you think you would both enjoy best. Have fun!

BOOK LOVER DATE

MOVIE DATE BOX • • • •

Movie DVDs lots of popcorn and drinks comfy pillows for two a blanket

•

•

•

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Gift certificates for your bookstore of choice/ a handmade voucher claiming you’d sponsor the bookstore finds of your partner with a mentioned amount notebook with list of books you think your partner would like (could also store notes about the books purchased) drinks and snacks for when you prefer to read together in some park afterwards

ART DATE BOX • • • • •

Sketchpads or a nice unlined notebook Coloring materials: watercolor and crayons or colored pencils Various pens, a pencil and an eraser An instructional book/magazine about art based on your partner’s interests Interesting photos that can be used as drawing reference

ADVENTURE LOVER DATE

PICNIC DATE BOX •

• • •

Assorted food items-- a salad, sandwiches, cake or cookies, drinks and fruit a picnic mat sunnies and a hat a portable musical instrument

• •

• • • •

Wet wipes or a hanky A list of places/eateries/stores you can explore within a certain area, with reasons on why you think it might be interesting Drinks and snacks Abaniko fan A camera A notebook with a pen for recording favorite discoveries F ETE | 7 3

ONE C U P AT A TIME The couple behind Cordillera Coffee sha re how they empower local growers one coffee cup at a time.

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Sometimes, we get to a point where we feel satisfied with the life we already have. Waking up to beautiful morning, drinking a cup of coffee, reading the news while having a hearty breakfast then heading on to face a brand new day.

But every now and then, life gives us a break from our daily routine and challenges us to make our lives and the lives of others a little better. The brave ones take the leap and often end up learning to love and embrace the process of making things work one step at a time.

to set up this business to help the coffee-growing communities in our region. Our family hails from Kalinga, a province in the Cordillera, where unfair practices were still a norm. When they went to visit some coffee plantations in Benguet, they saw the same thing - middlemen haggling for the lowest prices from the farmers. Since the growers need cash, they are often left with no choice but to sell to these individuals even though it’s not what they deserve.

Paolo and Iona Freznosa, the (admirable / amiable) couple behind Cordillera Coffee, shares their story on how they paved their way to empower local coffee growers through the support of a creative community by brewing coffee one cup at a time.

My aunt wanted to help change that by promising to buy coffee direct from farmers, and to buy from them at a fair price. This was the company’s goal right from the start. Even before ‘social enterprise’ became a buzzword, Cordillera Coffee has been (and still is) practicing it.

COFFEE IS ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA Towards the new millennium, we saw the influx of big foreign coffee companies, which have dominated the market. Gourmet coffee (read: imported thus expensive) has been a trend. It became a popular notion that good coffee had to come from another country. It was sad knowing that Filipinos are unaware of the abundance of good resources in our country. Some do not know that the Arabica, one of the finest varieties of coffee, is grown here in the Philippines.

STEP BY STEP… I am truly blessed to be a part of the advocacy right from when the company started. Joining trips to the north made me see how difficult it was to farm, harvest, and process coffee. It’s easy to take something for granted when you don’t know where it comes from. Like in the case of coffee, not everyone is aware of the hard work and the long, tedious process it takes before our favourite drink reaches our cups. Seeing the farmers and their families in action made me realise the real value of coffee - that it is more than a commodity. It is a way of life in the mountains. It IS their life.

Cordillera Coffee, founded by Iona’s aunt, Mary Grace Arboleda-Young and her uncle, Frank Young, was built in 2003 with a mission to make a difference.

It is founded on the goal of promoting local coffee and our rich culture, recognizing that Filipinos, in order to grow as a nation, must go back to their roots. They decided it’d be one that will tell of the abundance of beauty and the blessings of nature; one that told a story of our heritage, and would allow people to be part of it; one that promotes Coffee for a cause.

COFFEE AID: THE STORY BEHIND EVERY BREW For my aunt, it was a personal mission, growing up in Kalinga and seeing the injustice to coffee farmers there. They (my aunt and my uncle) decided

Having experienced first hand how it is up in the coffee communities, the natural thing is to help out and make ourselves available - offer our hands to volunteer, and continue the mission of fair trade and keep empowering the farmers. Pao and I have been actively leading volunteer programs ever since, so our love story (hehe) with fair trade coffee began.

We believe we are not here to just be happy - we are here for a purpose. And God will make that purpose known through the passions and gifts he has given us. It is up to us to follow that calling and decide to make a difference.

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“Business is not for the faint of heart. More so with a social business - you need to have a lot of heart.” …CUP AFTER CUP Deciding to manage the coffee shop was the big leap / risk in itself. Taking on the operations side of the business was foreign to both me and Pao - as we’ve been more on the advocacy / volunteer program side of Coffee AID for the longest time.

Last year, we had baybayin, ambahan (the indigenous poetry of tribes in Mindoro), poetry workshops, and other craft workshops held by Hey Kessy, I Try DIY, and Maartey, as well as a craftpreneur talk by What.

If Handmade. Whatever crafting sessions our friends think of - we’re game to collaborate and host them!

The opportunity to partner with my aunt & uncle for the business presented itself when I made myself available (I decided to shift to freelance communications work, from my full-time job) and had the time to really learn and be trained in the business-side of things. I also underwent barista training (which was so much fun!) and fell in love with coffee all over again. Pao and I thought it would also be the perfect venue to promote Coffee AID’s advocacy - to have an actual cafe where we can tell people about the Coffee Story more, and build community.

We’re all for three things: coffee, creativity, & community!

COFFEE, CREATIVITY AND COMMUNITY We wanted to promote a sense of community in the cafe - to make it a community cafe - where one can be oneself and share and learn at the same time.

We think this is what we need more of now, when everything is so fast and online and digital. We need real interactions, genuine connections, true learnings.

And the workshops help us achieve that. We are also blessed to have lots of crafter friends who decide to hold their workshops at the coffee shop - this jumpstarted everything (special thanks to Mansy!).

Right now we have ukulele tutorials (every Wednesday), origami, knitting, photography this weekend, and next week another washi workshop and a storybook-making session with kids and their parents. We’re also excited about our coffee tasting sessions, which will happen before the month ends!

SPILL(ING) THE BEANS Business is not for the faint of heart. More so with a social business - you need to have a lot of heart.

Even now we would tell them congratulations and cheer them on for taking a huge step of faith. If you decide to enter a business that aims to change something and make an impact, there will surely be ups and downs, but never give up.

If you know this is your calling, if it’s something you really believe in, if it’s something God has placed in your heart to do, be of good courage. Everything will fall into place in His perfect time. So give careful thought and bathe everything in prayer before starting anything.

Practically speaking, get honest, excellent people in your team who share the same vision and passion as you do. When times get rough, you know you can count on them. We think this is really important for start-up businesses.

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CARRYING A TASTE OF HOME TO THE SEA Mia Bontol shares her take on a moveable feast.

W o r d s and p ho t o s b y Mia B o n tol

M od el s : M a r j or i e P a r ed es a n d D a n i el l e A b a l l

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A fresh take on your usual intimate gathering ideas, preparing the ideal beach picnic needs to be served with a lot of heart—and a love for adventure and the ocean on the side. It’s the gastronomic equivalent of Nick Hornby’s High Fidelity mix tape, where unexpected details form an extraordinary whole, and the build up is a slow burn.

Ultimately, once it all comes together, you just know it’s going to be worthwhile.

First, you warm things up by answering this question: Who is this all for? There. You just felt a rush of inspiration, didn’t you? As with anything you create, when you forget yourself and think about what—or who—moves you, the rest flows.

How do you want them to feel when they see the spread that you prepared? This is the deciding factor in easing in the right tone for the picnic. Are you going for a low key, this-was-spontaneous-but-I-did-my-homework vibe? Or do you want a relaxed, bonding session with your friends?

How about doing a bohemian take on the meal by using what’s around you, and being resourceful with a few strips of cloth? It doesn’t have to be grand, but by evoking the mood that fits your loved one, you get to show that thoughtfulness went into it.

them. When it comes to picking what to put inside your basket, your initial, simplest ideas are the best. Sticking to essentials like fresh fruits, warm bread, cheese and chocolates are easy to bring and fun to mix and match.

Although adding items that depend on what their favorites are such as sun dried tomato pesto or easy slices of orange aren’t necessary, these create a lasting impact. All of this encourages you to enjoy the food with your hands, and to remind yourself that more than showing how special of an effort you’re making, you want to let them feel at home.

Topped with glasses of cold sangria as the sun is setting over the water…doesn’t this thought drive you to find the perfect hideaway for your seaside picnic? Luckily, you’re in a country that is skirted with stunning coasts. The thrill of going on a short road trip to discover the right spot by the shore lifts the experience to a crescendo.

As you lay down your meal under a tree with the waves crashing, you realize that by being in this moment, what you didn’t pack for your picnic is just as important as everything else. You’ve had this all along: the openness to offer what you could, and to allow yourself to be bare.

Sincerity is the pinnacle of any intimate gathering, and where better to express this than by a quiet cove with good food, high spirits, and exceptional company?

Now that you’re bundled with warm feels, you stoke the heat by choosing flavors that resonate well with F ETE | 8 1

LOVE IN BITES Simple heart shaped rice puff and marshmallow treats that are easy to make.

W o r d s a n d p h otog r a p h s b y C a c h i R ey es

Makes 6 hearts (about 4” big) YOU WILL NEED 4 cups marshmallow 6 cups rice puffs cereal 2 tbsp butter 1/2 cup chocolate melts

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1.

First, you need to place parchment paper on a 12” square pan. Make sure that the sides of the sauce pan is also covered with parchment paper. Set this aside while you start heating the marshmallows.

2.

In a large saucepan, melt butter and marshmallow. The butter is important and should not be skipped because it will take care of the marshmallow’s sticky situation. Keep stirring until marshmallow is fully melted.

3.

Pour in rice puffs cereal remove the sauce pan from heat. Mix thoroughly, covering all rice puffs in marshmallow. Transfer the rice puffs onto the square pan and even it out using a spatula. I was able to fill up two square pans with this much rice puffs.

4.

Cut your rice puffs with a knife or you can use a heart shaped cookie cutter (mine is about 4 inches big). You don’t have to throw away the excess rice puffs! Just collect the excess, mould them into one big lump and flatten it with your spatula.

5.

Melt the chocolates with a double boiler. You can use two pots. Fill the first pot will water about halfway and let it boil. Place another pot on top of the first one but make sure the second pot is completely dry. Pour in your chocolate and stir until it’s melted. Do not let steam touch the chocolate or else it will seize and you won’t be able to work with it anymore.

6.

Use a spoon to scoop the chocolate and drizzle it on the rice puffs in different directions. You can drizzle dark chocolate and white chocolate and you can even sprinkle crushed nuts on your rice puffs. Let the chocolate cool at room temperature for about 15 minutes.

7.

Serve it with love! If it’s more convenient for you, you may cut your rice puffs after drizzling with chocolate. I just prefer that the chocolate reaches the sides of the hearts.

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PLANNER PERFECT Still looking for the perfect planner to help you get through the year? We rounded up some of the most creative local planners we have around and interviewed their creato rs, too. We hope this helps you choose “The One” for 2014.

The “Relaks, Pag-ibig Lang ‘Yan, Parang Kagat Lang ng Langgam” PlanneR Chinggay Nuque of Witty Will Save the World What’s the story behind the planner?

Tonette Jadone, the brilliant writer behind all our products, had an idea to have a planner that would somehow contradict the coffee house planner hype. She never really understood what the fuss was about; why people would but that much expensive coffee just to have a planner that’s probably just a few hundreds worth. Being an artist, she felt it would be a fulfilling achievement if we see our friends using something tangible that we created.

What differentiates your planner from others in the market?

Only Tita Witty talks to

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you like a friend does. Ito lang ang nag-Tatagalog.

It’s the only planner with Pinoy humor and is hinged on pop culture.

If you could only choose one favorite feature to leave on your planner, what will it be?

The Umiibig Nang Wagas’ Creed.

Katha’s Fave Features • The wit and kulit revolving around Filipino pop culture never fails to brighten up your day!

• We love its handy dandy size and the cool coupons (yes, coupons!) at the end of the planner.

We recommend it for the batang 80’s, 90’s and well, anyone whether you have or haven’t experienced love. It’s an instant pick-me-up when you’re feeling down.

THE DAYKEEPER DATEBOOK Katrina San Juan of The Daykeeper Datebook What’s the story behind the planner?

I’ve always kept datebooks ever since I could remember and I’ve never really been able to find a journal that fit my personality, so I thought, why not make my own datebook? I held on to the thought that somewhere out there, maybe there were likeminded people who were looking for the same thing. The datebook is designed to inspire its owners to travel, create and grow in the faith, as it is filled with photographs, doodles and blank spaces to scribble on and jot down random musings.

What differentiates your planner from others in the market?

The planner is designed with a niche market in mind, the dreamers who chronicle their

daydreams, the visionaries whose plans are too big to be boxed in by lines, for sentimentalists who want to make their favorite moments last forever.

What is your favorite feature?

I really like the “things that made me smile today” - it’s basically the backbone of the whole datebook.

Our Fave Features • The lovely photos that adorn its pages makes it feel very warm and inviting, and browsing through it is always a delight.

• It’s a planner and a journal in one, inviting you to mix your daily to-dos with more personal thoughts and memories.

We recommend it for sentimental dreamers who like to write down their thoughts and aspirations anywhere and everywhere.

SLATE PLANNER Corrine Cueto of the Slate Team

+ you) collaborations through the course of the year!

What’s the story behind the planner?

We wanted an outlet where we can express ourselves and share our passions and discoveries.

We wanted to funnel our ideas into a more concrete tool so we decided to host all of these in a planner. A planner is functional and so personal at the same time. It was to us the best venue.

If you could only choose one favorite feature to leave on your planner, what will it be?

I personally am attached to the artworks that we feature. By featuring the works in a planner, the art stays with the user throughout the year.

What differentiates your planner from others in the market?

A handful of people have said that our planner feels like a book, and they like to read through it even before starting to write on it. I want to say that Slate is different because -yes, it was created to function as a planner, but also- it was created to be the holding dock of your days and your stories. We created Slate to be a tool for daily creative stimulation: your personal stash of stories and inspiration, and a collection of all our (Slate

Katha’s Fave Features • The world and Philippine map for marking places you want to go to and have been to! Seeing it visually on your planner is better and more encouraging than just writing it down.

• The random activities and artworks you’ll find in the pages. We love the element of surprise. You never know what you’ll get next (Find Katha in there!)

We recommend it for information junkies who love learning something new and surprising everyday.

MOONLEAF x MUNI.PH PLANNER Joanna Cancio of Moonleaf Tea Shop and Jen Horn of Muni.ph What’s the story behind the planner?

Moonleaf: We wanted Moonleaf to become a lifestyle. As a brand, we really want to engage and connect with our market.

Since a planner is very useful and it’s something people use on a daily basis, we decided to come up with our own planner.

For 2014, we decided that we want to be more socially relevant. It is our statement in pledging to assist the numerous local initiatives that we support.

Muni: When Moonleaf found out about our thrust, and the #CutTheCrap campaign, they liked how we tapped creativity to send out an important message. So for 2014, we collaborated and came out with 12 themes per month, with the goal of sharing ideas and actions you can pursue for a better self, community and planet.

What differentiates your planner from others in the market?

Muni: It’s not often that you come across a planner that features 12 of the country’s top illustrators, complete with postcards. And more importantly, each artwork conveys a message about being more mindful and holistically better versions of our selves.

If you could only choose one favorite feature to leave on your planner, what will it be?

The monthly artworks!

Katha’s Fave Features • The artworks and postcards! They alone are enough reason to buy this planner.

• The monthly tips are really helpful if you want to make a lifestyle change one step at a time.

We recommend it for postcrossers who enjoy sending postcards all around the world. Your pen pals will love the postcards while you enjoy the planner!

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ESKWELAHAN PLANNER Carlo Liwanag of EsKWELAhan Planner What’s the story behind the planner?

EsKWELAhan was plain interest in witty & corny lines, trivia and pickup lines, as well as in graphic design.

From there, we started thinking of something where we can feature our ideas and we came up with a planner because most planners that time were plain and simple. For 2014, we have continuously evolved and steered towards the direction of making it more “for the students” and “by the students”. We built a team of students and orgs from different schools that contribute to the content and design of the planner. We also made it more interactive by placing spaces where they can write or add their own ideas.

What differentiates your planner from others in the market?

The creativity and humor in its content. Aside from its design, our team exerts great effort 86 | T A L K

in brainstorming for the witty lines, trivia, pickup lines, etc. Our planner is filled with things that will make you smile, feel entertained and inspired to plan each day.

What is your favorite feature of the planner?

In every bottom of the page, we combine serious topics and facts with humor and personal experiences. Those are our favorite because students can really relate to them and of course, all are our original ideas!

Our Fave Features • All the quirky trivia, mini activities and questionnaires on each page are fun to answer and read!

• Coupons! Both retail and thoughtful coupons (smile ka na coupons!) to give out to your friends.

We recommend it for busy students who need some distraction from their studies at least once a day. The pages packed with humor and content are sure to make you smile and laugh in the middle of a stressful day.

ARTISAN PLANNER April San Pedro of Artisan Design Studio What’s the story behind the planner?

I was in college when I started using and collecting planners.

A year after I opened Artisan Design Studio, we had a school book project commission.

Then I realized that if we were able to bind a school book, then we could also make a simple journal. So, I started conceptualizing ideas for my own planner, and Artisan Planner was created. For this year, I wanted something with a classic theme. I was inspired by Sherlock Holmes and Charles Dickens’ books, so I based this collection from there. This time, men can also use it since it’s less feminine compared to the previous ones.

What differentiates your planner from others in the market?

Since I’ve been using a planner for many years, I based my design on what you need when you want to write your schedule down. So I stuck with

the basics and made sure there would be enough room to write down everything you like and also add simple notes and sketches.

If you could only choose one favorite feature to leave on your planner, what will it be?

Artisan Planner has an open date feature, so it can be used any time of the year. Although writing the dates oneby-one may be tedious, that’s also the fun of it.

Katha’s Fave Features • We love how the Artisan Planner looks like a vintage leather book!

• It’s highly customizable! You can start using it any time of the year because the dates are left blank.

We recommend it for minimalists who want a classic yet personalized planner.

FILED DOODLE PLANNER Stephanie Lim of FILED Shop What’s the story behind the planner?

Since its founding, FILED has always focused on products that give both organization and style through color.

When we decided to make a year planner as part of our product line, we wanted a planner that could be functional in terms of organizing everyday tasks, yet could also express one’s personal sense of style and give color to his/her life. The Doodle Planner does just that, because we kept everything in black and white so you can color it the way you want to and the way you see your day.

What differentiates your planner from others in the market?

Ours is the only Doodle Planner in the market that you can completely make your own through color and drawing. We also have fun activities inside the planner and exciting ways of planning daily adventures that everyone will enjoy. This

year, we’ve also added a new feature: the Page Muncher - our very own version of a bookmark that you can design with the template included in the planner.

If you could only choose one favorite feature to leave on your planner, what will it be?

This might not exactly be a feature, but we’d want to leave black-and-white colors of our planner because it fuels creativity and imagination.

Katha’s Fave Features: • The monthly doodle fun pages allow you to doodle all over your planner!

• The 2014 color chart which you color every day of the year like a mood ring. We’d love to see how the year was in color afterwards.

We recommend it for doodlers and pen hoarders who love to bring their pens and doodle and color everything everywhere.

DESIGN YOUR LIFE Christine and Sheryl Tan of C&S Designs What’s the story behind the planner?

Christine was into using planners. She then got the idea of personalizing her own since there weren’t that much in the market. She teamed up with her best friend and made one for their barkada as Christmas gifts. Other friends saw it and suggested making it a business. In the sem break of 2007, Sheryl wanted to be productive with her free time, so C&S decided to make the planner into a reality.

What differentiates your planner from others in the market?

“Who says you’re not creative?” is the DYL Photo Planner’s motto.

It aims to tap into your creativity and inspire you to Design Your Life!

More than that, it is a planner/diary/scrapbook in one. It’s useful even beyond the year. It’s the only planner right now that caters to Instagram prints and allows you to personalize each month’s cover page through

photos. Each month also has its unique and colorful theme, perfect to brighten up your day. The DYL Planner is designed with love and inspiration, born out of the passion of two aspiring designers themselves.

If you could only choose one favorite feature to leave on your planner, what will it be?

The unique monthlythemed designs. It’s what makes the planner a Design Your Life Planner.

Katha’s Fave Features • We love themes per month! Plus the unique Instagram photo integration spaces.

• All the extras from a graph chart on health, happiness and anger management, to a very helpful “Moolah Tracker”, will make sure you’re on track the whole year.

We recommend it for the creative minds who never stay put and enjoy variety. The different monthly theme designs will surely keep you on your feet.

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We’re giving one different planner a day from Jan 20 to 25!

Here’s how to win one for yourself !

1.

2.

3.

4.

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Follow us on Twitter - @kathamagazine Each day from January 20 to 25, we will post a giveaway question at 10:00 AM. Tweet us your answer to the question until 8:00 PM. The winner will be announced at 10:00 PM of the same day!

WHERE TO FIN D THEM

PLANNERS Artisan Planner (Php 390) Artisan Design + Craft Studio V. Mapa, Mabini Street Davao City www.iamartisan.com The Daykeeper 2014 Datebook facebook.com/ thedaykeeperdatebook Design your Life 2014 Planner (Php 530) C&S Designs cnsdesigns.com.ph facebook.com/ DesignYourLifePlanner EsKWELAhan Planner 2014 (Php 450) facebook.com/ EsKWELAhanPlanner Filed 2014 Doodle Planner (Php 545) www.filed.com.ph facebook.com/getFILED Moonleaf 2014 Planner (Php 350) Moonleaf Tea Shop moonleafteashop.com Muni.com.ph http://facebook.com/muni.ph www.muni.com.ph

The “Relaks, Pag-ibig Lang ‘Yan, Parang Kagat Lang ng Langgam” Planner 2014 (Php 450) Witty Will Save the World 09064652191 facebook.com/ wittywillsavetheworld Slate 2014 Planner Php 549 slateplanner.com facebook.com/PlanetSlate

Photo and words by Joy Celine Asto Calligraphy by Geli Balcruz

REIMAGINING

T he m y riad of feelings t h at c o me w i t h f al l i n g i n l o ve w i l l w ash ov er y ou, li ke w ave s ki ssi n g t h e sh o re .

OUR NEXT ISSUE IS ALL ABOUT CHILDHOOD NOSTALGIA. And guess what? We want you to be a part of it! You can email us at kathamagazine.ph@gmail.com and let us know what you have in mind. They can be articles, photographs, illustrations, music, or something entirely out of this world that we didn’t even think of.

We’re on the lookout for imaginative and creative individuals who share the ideals of Katha. If you think that’s you, send us samples of your work with “I’d like to be a contributor” in the subject line. You just might be who we’re looking for!

photo by Geli Balcruz

thanks for reading ! visit us at kathamagazine . tumblr . com