DIY: Felt Pomanders

Finally, after more than a week of cutting, rolling and gluing felt flowers into a 7" styro ball, I finally finished one pomander ball for my maid of honor. Believe me, this really is a labor of love because I sustained a lot of burns while doing this project, including a serious one when I dropped a felt flower filled with hot glue on my inner thigh. Major OUCH Moment!

Anyway, for starters, here are the materials that I used:

• Styro Ball (I used the 7" kind)
• Felt Cloth (1 yard of orange felt and 1 yard of yellow felt)
• Scissors
• Glue Gun (and lots and lots of glue sticks!)

First, I cut both felt cloths into strips that are about a 12" long and 2" wide.

Then I folded each strip into half and glued them together.

Then I cut little slits into the folder part of the felt. You can be creative with how you cut your felt as this will give you variations to your flower. For example, you can do a straight cut but with narrower slits to make it look fluffier, or you can even do diagonal cuts. I did wide, straight slits because I was too lazy to cut tiny slits on the felt. Plus, my hand hurt too much because of all that cutting. Haha.

I rolled the felt cloth up while securing it with glue along the way. I then fluffed it in place so that it would resemble a mum.

Afterwards, I glued the felt flowers in a straight line around the styro ball.

I then glued more felt flowers on the opposite direction, creating four equal sections on the ball.

I filled up the sections with the remaining felt flowers, glued a white satin ribbon on the top and VIOLA! I now have an orange and yellow felt pomander.

A word of warning though: be cautious when choosing the size of your styro ball. Adding flowers to the ball makes it larger than it really is, so I think a 4" to 5" ball would be enough for handheld pomanders. I didn't know this at first, so I bought the largest styro ball in National, which is the 7". My pomander soon became the size of a volleyball. Oh well, it looked okay naman so I guess I'd stick to this size. Besides, I already bought four of these balls so I have no choice but to use them all. Haha.

Spa Time: Shui Hilot Spa

To take a break from all the wedding planning, Mox and I decided to use our vouchers from Metrodeal for Shui Hilot Spa's 90-minute Triple Combo Package. The package includes one full body "hilot", Ventosa therapy and what they call "Dagaday" foot massage.

Shui Hilot has two branches: one in Makati and one in Libis. The Libis branch is located in 186 Magnitude Building, which is right next to the Mercury Drugstore next to the entrance of Eastwood. Confusing ba? When in doubt, just Google Map it. Hehe.

The massage started with the Ventosa therapy. Four glasses with candles underneath were placed on my back. The heat from the candles created a vacuum effect, which caused my skin to be "sucked" into the glass. After sometime, the glasses were moved towards my lower back and even the upper part of my buttocks. There was a bit of pressure and a pinching feeling, especially when the glasses were moved to another location. This was actually my first time to try this type of massage, and it was pretty okay. Although I'd probably stick with my usual Swedish and Shiatsu massages, thank you very much. I guess I like hand strokes better than the cups' suction.

This was followed by the "Dagdagay" foot massage, which involves slight poking and rolling of a stick in front and on the sole of my feet, plus a leg massage. I loved every minute of it! I even fell asleep while they were massaging my foot. It was pure heaven, I tell you!

I don't have any complaints about their "hilot" either. I love how they'd try to get every "lamig" out of your body. They focused mainly on your upper back and shoulders to get all the tension out. My only wish though is that they'd put more pressure during my head massage. But overall, it was a very pleasant experience.

So what's my verdict about Shui Hilot Spa? Well, let's just say that I got two more vouchers for the Triple Combo Package, this time for me and my mom. Girl bonding na ito. Haha!

DIY Sneak Peek: Felt Mums

Hello friends, I'm sorry for not writing for about a week now. I was able to buy some materials for my DIY flowers, so right now, I've been busy unleashing what little creativity that I have to put all these DIY creations together. First on my list: pomander balls for my bridesmaids/secondary sponsors and maid of honor.

Here is a sneak peek of the felt mums that I will use for the balls. :) It took me hours, and a few burnt and sore fingers, just to create that bunch.

Anyway, I'll post the finished product once I'm done. Wish me luck on this project! :)

Prenup Newbies

Yesterday, we had our freenup with NYO Images, which we won as our prize in Aisle 1401's promo. We really didn't know what to expect because this was our first time to have a photo shoot, complete with costume changes, props and professional photographers! A few days before, I was already feeling stressed over the whole thing because I didn't know if everything was all set, from the clothes to the permits and even to the snacks that I would bring. I was also very nervous especially for Mox, who is not a fan of having his picture taken. He even got mad at me at first when he learned that we would hold our prenup at Starbucks and Timezone in Greenhills Promenade, both of which are very public places.

We were a bit stiff during the first few shots because we were too conscious about the other customers staring at us so our smiles were forced and awkward. Luckily, our photographers were very patient with us, giving us some tips how to be more comfortable in front of the camera. They even cracked jokes just to get Mox to smile naturally. The image of Mommy Dionisia wearing a bikini was stuck in my head the whole time we were shooting. Haha!

All their efforts paid off because we were finally able to relax and let our inner models shine. Yes, even Mox has his own inner model. In fact, I think he did a better job than me in posing! He would even direct some of our shots, like he would ask me to kiss him just so the photographers can take a picture. Yes, Mr. I-hate-photo-shoots was actually thinking what other poses he would do. Haha, nawili na talaga siya!

All in all, it was a tiring but fun day. Who would have thought that a four-hour shoot could be so exhausting? Yet, it was a great bonding experience for me and Mox. At least this way, we would know what to do now for our real prenup next year with Osep&Mimi. Plus, I now know that Mox has the potential to becoming a model. Haha!

I can't wait for our official pics! For the moment, here is a little teaser pic for you guys. Hope you like it as much as I do. :)

What to Wear?

It's two days before our prenup on Saturday and I'm starting to get nervous and a bit stressed. Right now, I already have two sets of clothes to wear—one casual chic and one smart casual—and I couldn't think of anything else to bring. I just kept on fitting on old clothes because I don't have time nor the money to shop for new clothes. After all, this is just a free prenup so as much as possible, I don't want to spend that much money. Bawiin ko na lang sa tunay na prenup. Haha!

And let's not get to what Mox will wear! Hay naku, mas lalo akong na-stestress! His wardrobe only consists of plain white Hanes shirts and polos that are too large on his body. I have to use my limited fashion sense just to come up with two sets of clothes that would look presentable enough for a photo shoot. 

I'm hoping that our two sets of clothes will be enough for the four-hour pictorial. I already discussed this with our photographers and they agreed that it would be fine naman. We have Starbucks and Timezone as our venues so we can just use one set of clothes for each venue. But still, I'm hoping that we can come up with another set just so that we would have more choices to wear.

Gah, I definitely need a stylist for our next prenup... or at least some stylish friends to get some fashion help!

I need a fashion godmother!

DIY: M & N Decoupages

Due to the two-day work suspension caused by the monsoon rains last week (and the fact that I was bored out of my mind), I was finally able to begin one of my DIY projects—paper mache decoupages of our initials—which we will use as props for our freenup this Saturday. I was supposed to make a paper mache heart as well, but since this was a spur-of-the-moment thing, I only had time to make the initials. Oh well, I will probably make the heart afterwards so that we can use all three decoupages as decors for the registration area of our reception venue.

First things first, I needed boxes to make the letters. Luckily I was able to find two large cereal boxes in our kitchen cupboard. They’re the perfect size for my decoupages.

Old cereal boxes

I traced the letters on the boxes and then cut them out. Since I’m a DIY beginner, I chose a font that is big and rounded so that it would be easier to cut and form into 3D letters. Of course, those with better arts-and-crafts experience than me can experiment with fancier fonts.

After more than 3 hours of cutting and taping the boxes, and with a few injuries (I scraped my knuckles on the blade of the tape dispenser), I finally have my cardboard 3D letters. Don’t be scared to use lots of tape to make the letters as this will make them sturdy. I practically used up one roll of scotch tape, which made my dad mad. Nagsasayang lang daw kasi ako ng tape. Haha.

3 hours of cutting and taping = 3D letters

Now it's time to make the paper mache! First, I mixed flour, water and a pinch of salt in one bowl until the batter was smooth and had no lumps. Then I tore strips of newspaper. I brushed the box with the paste, then pasted (wow, redundancy at its best) the newspaper strips onto the box, then brushed it again with the paste to ensure that the strips would stick to the box. Make sure to check the nooks and crannies of each letter to see if there are still parts that are uncovered.

Medyo messy lang. x_x

Let it dry completely then paste another layer of newspaper. I had to let each layer dry overnight since I only had limited time to work on it at night, but it would usually take a couple of hours or so to dry.

Paper mache-ing done!

Since I didn't have time to wrap the letters in nice giftwrappers (plus, I'm scared that' I'd just ruin the whole thing), I painted my letters turquoise. There are a few bumps and lumps due to the newspapers, but I liked it because it gives the letters character. I also decorated the letters with orange felt flowers. See, they even fit our color motif! :)

Finished product!

There, I hope my M & N decoupages passed your DIY standards. For a more detailed explanation (if mine wasn't clear enough, hehe.), you may check out this tutorial. :)

Food Tasting # 14: CVJ Catering

I might have already booked my caterer, but I just couldn’t resist going to other food tastings to see what the other caterers can offer. What can you say, I just love free food! To give myself credit though, my food tasting with CVJ Catering was scheduled before I booked RichGold. See, I’m not as patay-gutom as you may think. Hehe.

The food tasting was held at CVJ’s clubhouse. Yes, you heard it right. CVJ actually has its own venue, which can be used for wedding receptions and other events. Aside from the catering services and other amenities, their wedding packages also include the use of their clubhouse for four hours. However, CVJ can also do off-premise catering if you already booked your reception venue and are just looking for a caterer.

While waiting for our food, we were shown pictures of some of their actual setups. I particularly loved one wedding with a yellow and black motif. The centerpieces used were bright yellow flowers on tall glass vases and the chairs were tiffany chairs with gold ribbon accents. I thought the styling was upgraded, but my AE told me that the tall centerpieces and tiffany chairs are already part of their basic packages. I have to give them plus points for that because other caterers only offer low centerpieces and monobloc chairs in their standard packages; you have to pay additional fees to get the tall centerpieces and the tiffany chairs.

Okay, now on to the food tasting itself. As usual, I had my food critics with me (my mom and Jocco). We were served two viands for each course so that we can compare the dishes to see which tasted better. For our soups, we had the Cream of Chicken and Asparagus Soup and the Seafood Chowder. We couldn’t really understand where the soup got its name because we couldn’t really taste the chicken and the asparagus flavors. In fact it tasted just like your ordinary Nido soup, and it looked like one too! If you would serve me Nido soup and this one, I’d probably never tell the difference. 

The seafood chowder, on the other hand, earned praises from all of us. It was rich, thick and creamy— just the way I like my soups. CVJ didn’t scrimp on the seafood either; you would get a mouthful of squid, tiny shrimps and more in just one bite. Jocco was already full before the first main course was even served because he drank all three of our soups. That’s how much he loved it. Hehe.

Cream of Chicken and Asparagus Soup

Seafood Chowder

We were then served our pasta dishes: Fettuccine Bacon-Mushrooms Carbonara and Baked Penne Pasta topped with Ham and Cheese. The carbonara was covered entirely in creamy, white sauce that we could barely see the noodles. Nevertheless, this pasta was delicious! It’s sweet, salty and oh so rich, and yet there is no umay factor. This dish is also full of bacon bits and mushrooms. I loved how the crunchiness of the bacon was able to balance the creaminess of pasta. The carbonara is definitely a must-try!

I also liked the baked penne pasta, although I think it would be more of a hit with the kids and the young-at-hearts because its sweetness is similar to our favorite Jollibee spaghetti. But I’m scared that our guests would be reminded of a children’s party instead of a wedding if we’d get this pasta. Kulang na lang na siguro ang mascot ni Jollibee. Haha!

Fettuccine Bacon-Mushrooms Carbonara

Baked Penne Pasta topped with Ham and Cheese

For our chicken entrees, we were served Baked Chicken Ala King topped with Mashed Potatoes and Grilled Chicken Teriyaki with Toasted Sesame Seeds and Chives. Wow, these dishes sure have very long names. Haha! Anyway, I thought the chicken teriyaki was the better choice because the chicken was very soft and tender. And the sauce, wow! You would experience a myriad of flavors upon the first bite—sweet, salty and even a bit bitter. It’s just so good, although the sauce was too salty for my mom’s taste.

However, I was disappointed with the chicken ala king. It looked a bit weird, with some sort of crust covering the top of the dish. The crust was slightly crumbly and dry, and the filling tasted like Vienna sausages. I couldn’t even taste the chicken... that is if they even used chicken in the first place. Parang Vienna sausages lang ang laman eh. And there were supposed to be some mashed potatoes here (as implied by its name), but I really couldn't taste them either. Definitely minus points for CVJ.

Grilled Chicken Teriyaki with Toasted Sesame Seeds and Chives

Baked Chicken Ala King topped with Mashed Potatoes

CVJ was able to redeem itself with its pork dishes though. We were served American Style Prime Pork Spareribs and Fresh Baked Ham with Creamy Mustard Dressing, and we loved them both. Both dishes have meat so soft and tender that you can easily cut them with just a slash of your fork. The spareribs’ sauce was so savory and delicious, and I loved the mustard dressing for the baked ham because its sweetness complemented the ham’s natural saltiness. However, be careful with the amount of mustard dressing that you'd put on the ham because too much dressing can lead to panguumay.

American Style Prime Pork Spareribs

Fresh Baked Ham with Creamy Mustard Dressing

For our seafood dishes, we were given the Cream Dory Fillet with Pineapple Tartar Sauce and the Seafoods Teppanyaki. Fish fillets with tartar sauce must probably a staple in food tastings because this is already the nth time that I have eaten this type of dish during these events. CVJ boasted its fish fillet entree is different because of the pineapple tartar sauce. In reality, while the tartar sauce is quite good. there doesn't seem to be a tinge of pineapple anywhere. The only difference that I could see is that CVJ's tartar sauce is not as rich or too mayonnaise-y(?) as the usual tartar sauces there. 

My mom's favorite entree out of all those served was the seafoods teppanyaki. She loved how the assorted vegetables were able to give texture to the seafoods. As for me, I liked the variety of seafood in the dish itself. There are crabsticks, tiny shrimps, squids and even tahong! I wasn't able to truly savor the teppanyaki because I didn't eat the vegetables. Remember, I'm not a vegetable lover. Haha.

Cream Dory Fillet with Pineapple Tartar Sauce

Seafoods Teppanyaki

We had the usual Roast Beef with Mushroom Gravy Sauce and the American Beef Stew with Vegetables Medley for our beef entrees. The roast beef emerged as the winner here because while both dishes have very tender meat, the beef stew's meat was considerably chewier than the roast beef, and that could be a point against them. Para ka kasing ngumunguya ng bubble gum eh. The beef stew's sauce was also very creamy, but it was too salty for me. Meanwhile, the roast beef's mushroom gravy sauce had the right consistency and the right flavor. So yummy! My AE said that it is actually one of their bestsellers, and I could definitely understand why.

Roast Beef with Mushroom Gravy Sauce

American Beef Stew with Vegetables Medley

We then had two fruit salads for desserts: the Peaches and Mangoes Cream Delight Salad and the Buko Jello Lychee Salad. Both salads were delicious, but I liked the peaches and mangoes salad better because I really love anything that has mangoes in it. Still, I felt that the desserts were pretty ordinary. Again, they tasted just like the usual fruit cocktails that we can buy in the supermarket. I guess I was expecting something special, something fancier than fruit salads.

VERDICT: Well, obviously I won't be getting them because I already have my caterer, but I would definitely recommend CVJ Catering to all the brides-to-be out there. They are a bit on the pricier side, with grand wedding packages starting at P130,000 for 100 persons. However, they have complete amenities already, including wedding cake, souvenir cakes for principal sponsors, bridal car, LCD projector and even musicians for your reception! They also have promo packages for those brides on a budget.

I also want to commend their AEs for being very attentive during our food tasting. They were so nice while answering our questions regarding their packages. They didn't pressure us into signing anything since they know that we still have other options, unlike others that would assume you would book them on the spot. And best of all, they packed some of our leftovers to take home! Oh diba, may free lunch and dinner pa tuloy kami! Haha.

CVJ CATERING
27 Flamingo Street, New Marikina Subdivision, Marikina
681-1682 / 646-1658 
info@cvjfoodcatering.com 

Caterer: Booked!

The search for our wedding caterer is finally over. After having almost 15 food tastings with different caterers, we have finally found our perfect match in Richgold Weddings.

I first heard about Richgold in W@W after Ms. Benz posted a thread introducing them as the only caterer that offers crystal chairs—transparent chairs that seem to be made of glass—as part of their basic setup. What I liked about the crystal chairs is that they would capture the color of the light that hits them. So if the light is yellow, the chair is yellow. If the light is blue, the chair is blue. You get the picture. Hehe.

How the crystal chairs look like

Most caterers offer tiffany chairs as an upgrade to the usual monobloc chairs, and that usually costs P150 per chair, but Richgold provides crystal chairs for all their guests with no extra charge.

I was hesitant at first to inquire with Richgold because their wedding packages do not originally fit our budget. I was all set to booking Ma Del's for our wedding just to save money, but deep down, I was already having second thoughts. While I loved Ma Del's food and styling, I thought it was too similar to our usual homecooked meals. I guess I just wanted something a bit fancier for our big day.

So I took a chance and emailed Richgold  for their rates, and when I saw their wedding package, I suddenly had the urge to book them immediately because they were offering such a great deal. As in kinikilig talaga ako pag binabasa ko packages nila. I finally had the "this-is-it" feeling with a caterer! Think about it, for only P777 plus the 10% service charge, you would get:

• 4 appetizers
• 1 salad bar with two dressings
• 1 soup
• 1 pasta bar (two pastas, two sauces)
• 4 main courses (beef, chicken, pork and fish)
• 1 veggies
• 5 desserts

And not only would we be able to lock that rate if we would book them this year, we would also get the following freebies:

• Overnight stay at Waterfront Manila Pavilion Hotel
• Bridal Car (Benz E220 with driver, flowers and fuel for 3 hours)
• Photobooth for two hours
• Mobile bar for 50 pax
• 3-layer fondant cake or 100 cupcakes and 6" cutting cake
• Professional emcee

Yes, I would get not one, not two, not three, but ALL of these freebies if I'd book them within this year. Oh diba, sulit na sulit! If I'd get them as our caterer, I don't have to worry about the souvenirs since I'd already have a photobooth and cupcakes for the guests. I would also have a mobile bar, which usually costs around P15,000, for our drinkers, aside from the beer kegs that I plan to order. I wouldn't have to book an additional hotel room for our wedding night because we could just stay at the Waterfront Manila Pavilion Hotel for free! And best of all, we would have a bridal car! Before, I plan to use my own car, but now I could finally ride a real bridal car, and a Mercedez Benz pa! Sosyal! I already have an emcee included in my package with The One Exclusive, but I haggled with my AE for an extra hour for the photobooth and crystal chairs for our VIPs in exchange for the emcee.

That's not all, I could finally have the fancy food that I wanted, and more food for that matter. I'm sure that our guests would not complain about going hungry during our wedding. In fact, they'll probably be complaining about their full stomachs afterwards... or so I hope. Let's just cross our fingers. Haha!

Of course, I had to check out their food and setup in person to make sure that their food and styling are something to rave about. Sabi nga ni Mox, baka sa papel lang maganda eh. So when Jed, my AE, invited me to one of their weddings at Oasis Manila to see their setup and have a mini food tasting, I immediately convinced Mox to join me so that we can finally decide if we'd book them on the spot.

When we saw their setup at Oasis, we were speechless with awe. It was so beautiful! It was so simple, classy and elegant. Their client opted to get crystal chairs for all their guests, and I love its effect. We weren't able to take pictures because we were too shy, but here are some of the sample centerpieces they had during their grand food tasting. Pictures are from their Facebook account. :)

Mox and I also loved their couple's area. Instead of the usual couch or couple's table, there are two armchairs on the stage, just like the ones used in Oprah. Ang ganda lang! Mox and I even kept on arguing on who would get the chair with the armrests. Haha! Again, here are samples of their couple's backdrop courtesy from their Facebook account.

RichGold's package also includes thematic styling from their in-house event stylist. There are preset themes such as travel, zen, four seasons and beach that do not require any upgrades for the styling. For other themes, we would just coordinate with their stylist to get a quotation.

I'll probably write a new blog entry for the food tasting since I was too excited to take note of the food that we ate. All I could say is that I loved their food, especially their desserts! Winner lahat!

And so, after much deliberation, arguments and a few drama moments, Mox and I booked them on the spot. Mox just loved their setup, while I loved their food and the freebies. All the staff were so helpful too. And it didn't hurt that Jed is a cutie. Nastarstruck ako sa kagwapuhan niya eh! Mox said the only reason why I probably booked them was so that I could always talk to Jed. Nagselos pa talaga ang lolo mo. Well, at least I know he's happy with the choice we made. Baka daw kasi umabot pa ako ng 100 food tastings sa kakahanap ng caterer eh. Hmm, 100 food tastings? Now that's something to think about. Hehe.

RICHGOLD WEDDINGS
El Jardin del Zenaida, 34 Sgt. Esguerra, Quezon City
291-1111 / 415-6887
inquiry@richgoldweddings.com