FabThinGs 411

As promised... Fettuccine Alfredo!

noreply@blogger.com (.Skye.) — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 04:58:00 +0000

Yes, i know! I'm slacking on my blogs but who could resist the fabulous weather outside? hmp.

Before i forget, I would like to express my gratitude to a dear friend, EJE, who happily shared a number of her mouth-watering recipes to me.

To Bchai... Here's the Fettuccine Alfredo i have been telling you about. I made it quite a few times and it never fails to satisfy my cravings. Enjoy it, i know you will :)

Directions:

Cook your fettuccine noodles like you would the spaghetti. It's all about the SAUCE......

In a non-stick pot, mix and simmer:

1/2 butter stick
1 tsp minced garlic
sliced onion
1/2 can corned beef
1 can (225ml) Nestle table cream
1/2 cream cheese (half of that philadelphia rectangle box)
bacon bits (pre-cooked)
shrimps
pepper/salt
mushroom
half can (small) evaporated milk

LOVE LOVE LOVE this sauce.... It's actually better than Olive Garden! No pun intended.

Revised: 04.03.10

Naked Phone yet Protected?

noreply@blogger.com (.Skye.) — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0000

After several cellphones ago, I am getting bored and tired with all different colors of both hard and silicone cases. Did not pay much attention to the transparent ones buzz up until now.

Thank heavens to Facebook, i came across this page of clear armor protective film from Case-mate. I was pretty hesitant at first but eventually took the plunge. Turns out, it was the best decision i ever made after Clarisonic. Super easy installation. No issues at all. Also comes with a lifetime warranty (as long as you have the same phone of course!), you can't beat that!

The clear armor is made with the highest quality protective film which is also used to protect Apache helicopter blades from damages in Desert Storm... amazing!

Why haven't i thought of googling this thing before? Honestly, I thought colored cases were cool... lmao!

At long last, I can carry my gorgeous phone everywhere showing it's true beauty without having to worry of it being rubbed/scraped on with anything inside my purse or my accessories when I'm holding it. This is the perfect defense for dirty, ugly scratches. You may think it's bare naked but it is definitely protected. Duh, I am in love all over again.

ZIT: Quick Fix

noreply@blogger.com (.Skye.) — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 05:02:00 +0000

Ever have those days where you get so excited for the next day? Or a very important event coming? Or just plain nervous? And it seems like little bumps appear on your face that is about to break out. Grrr... the zit alert!

Now some beauty secrets revealed, the cult favorite Mario Badescu Drying lotion heals a pesky pimple literally overnight or after 2-3 uses. It gets rid of any signs of crisis, even a mosquito bite. A little pricey though, $17 for an ounce, but it's definitely worth it.

To use:
DO NOT SHAKE THE BOTTLE. Stick a q-tip down the bottom pink layer and dab it on whiteheads or affected areas before going to bed. Crisis averted the next morning. That easy.

Beauty TIP: Experts say to fill up on blueberries and nuts if you suffer from acne. Avoid dairy products.

Do you have any beauty tips to share? I would love to hear anything from you.

MAC Brushes: Essentials

noreply@blogger.com (.Skye.) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 19:33:00 +0000

Not too long ago, I switched to using MAC brushes from the random brands (cheap~costly) I've had forever. And guess what? I'm hooked. MAC has top quality cosmetic brushes plus they're all coordinated. Here's goes my my being an OCD again.

One thing I regret doing was buying all of them when I can just get 5-10 brushes that can be used with any look you can ever think of. Well, i want to be able to share/suggest or give ideas to those who like MAC and are just starting to build their collection so as not to make the same mistake i did unless you're a hoarder too.

If you like makeup, you probably know already which ones you need just by looking at the bristles. If not, then the following are the basic tools which you might want to take a look at.

A quick reminder: I am not a big MAC cosmetics fan, but I love love their cosmetic brushes. I know they are pretty expensive but I am willing to invest in something I use all the time. You actually save more money by buying great quality stuff and be able to use it for a lifetime. Like i said, they're the best, i stand by it and makeup artists swear by it.

187 Duo Fibre Stippling Brush - also referred to as the "Skunk brush". This is my absolute favorite and a must-have. Best for application of liquid foundation giving you that airbrushed look. After that, use it again to apply/blend your face powder to set your foundation. Two face brushes in one. Actually, i do use it for bronzer/blush sometimes, lol. Most of the time, blush/bronzer is applied with 109.

239Eye shader brush. Perfect size for lightweight or building intense colour application.

217Can be used as a shader, crease application, and blending. An all around brush.

224 The best blending brush. Eliminates the ugly silhouette of your shadows and makes it look flawless. It does all the work for you.

266 great for using gel liners and fill out my eyebrows. Definitely a staple in my collection.

219 Pencil brush. Use to smudge your eye liner to soften the look. TIP: This can easily be substituted with a cotton swab *wink*
They look kinda stiff coz i have just cleaned them
Reminder: These are my own thoughts and hopefully for reference. It's what i love. Just utilize anything you have on hand. Rock it!

Check back for inexpensive but good quality makeup brushes soon!

So what are your favorite beauty tools?

Brushes available at MAC stores, MAC counters and www.maccosmetics.com. Hope this helps. Beware of fake products especially when purchasing online.

Soup for Hangover?

noreply@blogger.com (.Skye.) — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 06:27:00 +0000

Book-uh Gook a.k.a. Dried pollack slices (whiting fish) soup is a good thing to have on those cold mornings and nights. It is also said to make you feel better after a night of drinking to eradicate awful hangovers. It tastes good too.

With 7 super easy ingredients (in bold texts), finish in 15 minutes...

What you need:

1. Half pound of Dried whiting slices, soaked in water (1min), rinse and squeeze out. Throw it in a heated non-stick pan on a medium high setting.

2. Pour in 2 tablespoons of sesame oil. Stir. Stir. (About 3 mins)

3. As soon as fish turns a little golden brown, put in about 5 cups of water and boil for 10 minutes.

4. While waiting for water to bubble, put 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 teaspoon Dashida (Beef flavor soup stock only available at oriental stores)

5. The last 2 mins would be pouring one beaten egg mixed with sliced scallion as a finishing touch for the soup.

By now it would look similar to an egg drop soup.

And you're done. Enjoy your meal! 맛있게 드세요!

P.S. I'll post a photo if i don't forget taking one :j

8 Random Things About Me

noreply@blogger.com (.Skye.) — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:16:00 +0000

I got first tagged with this (i think from Beng) in my old blog. Since it is no longer in existence, I decided to repost it here but with a different, more current content (some of them are still the same though).

1. A TV junkie. My favorite shows are Monk, All CSI's, MasterMind, Investigation and all those detective inspired ones. It has been one of my dreams to help solve all the crimes in the world. I wish ;-) It's just so sad why there are desperate people who commit crimes and prey the innocent. I like a few of the Reality shows as well.

2. Back in college, i remember partying every single night with my girlfriends and go back to the house to just shower, change in our school uniforms since we had a 7:30AM class.

Unfortunately, our first subject was Theology, my least favorite. I was so sleepy, i almost fell off my seat. Shame!

3. I have a passion for real good food. Korean food is the best in the whole world! -- for ME -- coz i can just eat a whole pot of food without gaining weight. I love to eat healthy though I'm guilty sometimes for eating McDo french fries but i love it. I eat 75% korean food everyday, 20% japanese food and 5% the rest.

4. A huge sports fan. I play tennis, golf and swim. Hey, don't get me wrong, I'm not a professional. Me and hubby do it for fun but not as serious as trying to get into the Olympics. hehe. It's what we like to do during our free time.
My Love. My Life. NSM.
5. NSM describes me as very picky in terms of everything that exists around me. He knows me better than I know myself. Now, i don't want to explain this to reduce the number of raised eyebrows. Maybe something in me wants to separate myself with the world. My interests are completely different from any one. That's just me. The only friend who likes and does exactly the same i do, the exact same way i want it is NSM. What do you expect, hahahha.. We're partners in crime.

6. For lack of a better word, Spoiled! Not the bad kind i guess. NSM gives me everything i want as long as he can afford it (materially!). I know my limitations. The best gift i received is my car, it is for my 32nd birthday (come April 2010) and Christmas '09 gift-in-one :-( Sad face? only one gift for 2 occasions?....lol just kidding! I get pretty little things in between.

In addition, NSM surprised me my very first car in the US for my 28th birthday as well.
Taken in 2006, w/my baby Luxor (tacky that i name them, so?? lol)
7. Okay. I may have gotten all this material stuff all the time but i never received a single stem of flower or any kind of chocolates in my entire life. That's what i always complain about. (thinking....)Oh well, I didn't have a lot of suitors then... poor me!

Just to make it clear, it's not all about the things, but we really love each other with every fiber of our being :)

8. Lastly, I have great love for my family more than anything in the world. Nobody messes with them or you'll bring out the devil in me. They are my life and I would give it for them. Whoa, deep. But, seriously.

I also love all my friends and am very loyal to them. I miss you guys! Before my eyes get all misty, i will tag 8 fabulous people....

Simple rules:
1. Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
2. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
3. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
4. Don't forget to leave them a comment telling them they're tagged, and to read your blog.

1. Emmyrose
2. Kathleen
3. Bingkee
4. Christina
5. Jingle
6. Bchai
7. Laurie
8. Angela

Korean Side Dish

noreply@blogger.com (.Skye.) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:22:00 +0000

Okay. This is not exactly a blog entry but i need a place to store these so i can easily find them if i need them later on (in case i forget). So just pass if not interested :)

Soybean paste Sauce (SamJang)

2 tablespoonful soybean paste
1 tablespoonful hot red pepper paste
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 tablespoon Dashida
3 stalks green onion (small slices)

YangPa MuChim (Onion side)

Thin slices Spanish onion (crispy)
soak in coldf water for 10 mins with vinegar 25%
DRAIN
1/2 Dashida
Red Pepper (dried)
Sesame oil 1/2 tsp

Fish Cake (Odeng)

Onion
Sweet pepper
Odeng (sliced)
Dashida
Little Red Pepper
Minced Garlic
Green Onion

Cucumber (Oy Muchim)

Korean Cucumber
Green Onion
Minced Garlic
Dashida
Red Pepper paste 1 tsp
Sesame Oil

Mackerel-Kimchi Fish Stew (Godong-ah Jurim)

Kimchi
Mackerel
Onion

Mix:
Soy sauce
Red pepper
Dashida 1 tbsp
minced garlic
2 tbsp vegetable oil
water (same amount as soy sauce)

Green Onion Pancake (Pa-jeon)

1 cup frying mix
3 cups pancake mix
1 egg
3 cups water
green onion
Mixed seafood
oyster

DIY: Pedicure

noreply@blogger.com (.Skye.) — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 02:10:00 +0000

I apologize for this late follow up post of my manicure tutorial.

When you have a manicure, of course, you need to have a pedicure too, correct? *wink* It just don't feel right when you don't have both.

Personally, I do my toenails first before doing my fingernails for an obvious reason: I don't want to mess up my manis.

So here we go:

1. Remove your old polish if you have one.

2. This is my favorite part. Soak your feet for 10-15 minutes (I do it for 30, shh!) in warm water in a bubbling foot spa massager with a foot soak (i.e. epsom salts, etc). Or you can use a regular basin and fill it with warm water.

3. Apply a callus dissolver and allow a couple of minutes for it to penetrate depending on buildup. Then buff the ugly stubborn calluses away. Wash thoroughly with water.

TIP: A good callus dissolver is available at any nail supplies stores BUT you have to be a nail technician to shop there. I am not a nail technician, but i got lucky the owner was there when i went and i befriended her so she made me an exception, yayy!

4. Then it's basically the same steps 2~9 as the DIY manicure CLICK HERE!

TIP: Except the Step 5 is rinse and apply a spa strength callus treatment foot cream. In other words, foot lotion.

Helpful Hints:

* Before going to bed, apply petroleum jelly all over your feet and wear socks overnight. This will give you soft pretty feet in the morning.

* You can do your spa pedicure as often as you like. It's really time-consuming so i do once a month but change polish color twice a month.

Check out my DIY: Manicure tutorial HERE!

Hope this helps :)

How To Deal With Identity Theft

noreply@blogger.com (.Skye.) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:56:00 +0000

Are you a victim of Identity Theft?
Do you think someone is stealing your personal information?
Do you monitor your credit?
Find out how to save your credit?

Individual credit scores change a few times a year or when there is a significant change in your records. There are services you can get to monitor them for you. Some are subscriptions that costs from $9.95 a month or higher. There are also credit cards who offer these for free as long as you have an outstanding account with them. Take note, you are entitled to obtain one free annual credit report.

TIP: I do not recommend frequent inquiries about your credit scores since it can influence it. Read HERE about FICO Score.

How do you know when your identity is stolen?

Your good credit is being used by a thief to open accounts without your permission and knowledge (of course). If you don't monitor your own credit or signup for any fraud alerts, you will most likely have no idea that someone is enjoying your hard earned reputation.

One day, to your shock, a debt collection agency will just send you a notice (with all the details) and most of them probably already reported your delinquency to the credit bureaus. Then, your credit score is heading downhill.

What do i have to do?

ACT FAST! The minute you receive this delinquent notice, call the concerned creditor right away and dispute, ask them how to resolve the situation and explain the best you can. Then they will send you the so-called "fraud packet" containing forms and instructions on what to do.

Most often than not, they will ask you to fill out an Affidavit of Fraud accompanied by supporting documentation such as:

1. Completed theft of Identity Questionnaire
2. Proof of employment
3. Bank Statements (you can buy at your bank but sometimes they give it for free)
4. A copy (NOT Originals) of a valid government-issued photo-identification card (e.g. driver's license, passport, etc)
5. Proof of residency the loan was made e.g. rental/lease agreement, a copy of a utility bill or insurance bill)
6. Go to a notary public to have the affidavit notarized.
7. Then, send everything to the address they provided using a Certified mail with a Return Receipt.

That's it! Wait for the results.

Disclaimer: I do not claim to be an expert in finance but I know well enough on what to do and how to deal with situations like these. This is just me relating from a personal experience.

Android Apps for Kids

noreply@blogger.com (.Skye.) — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 21:39:00 +0000

Juggling my role as a mom from keeping my household together, to running errands, and also not forget to take care of myself :B I am super busy everyday.
I needed something to entertain my 2 year old daughter for a little bit while I finish what I'm doing.

The android market offers tons of free apps designed for children. Since there's too many, I have decided to post a separate entry for cool Android Apps for Kids. Click HERE for my previous post of Cool Android Apps.

We actually have "Your Baby Can Read Program" and I feel really bad because I get too lazy to play it for her every single day. It's a really good program though and it has received positive reviews BUT you have to have a lot of patience and time to teach your kid with it. I will still keep trying though.

HJ is always my number one priority and I try so hard to give her all the time I can but sometimes, I have to get other stuff done.

Through these apps, she learned a lot of things a pre-schooler learns in school. And I'm so happy with it.

Like my previous post, this too will be updated as soon as I find something better or discover new good fun ones. I installed a lot of them and end up uninstalling the useless ones. These are the apps I keep that she's currently playing with:

ABCs

Colors

Numbers 50

Shapes

Days/Months

Animal Sounds

On-the-Go - teaches different types of transportation vehicles

Toddler Lock - a child lock that teaches colors and shapes with graphics and sounds to keep your toddler entertained without having to worry about them making calls or starting other applications.

Disclaimer: These games though informative and entertaining BUT do not serve to babysit your children. You must not leave the kids unattended, EVER.

What is a FICO Score?

noreply@blogger.com (.Skye.) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 20:34:00 +0000

What is a FICO score and why is it valuable?

FICO, which stands for Fair Isaac Corporation, is a software used to check your financial situation information. It contains your credit scores from the three major credit bureaus in the United States namely; Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.

Keep in mind that these three numbers will be different from each other; the higher your scores are, the better chances for you to get the best interest rates. Lenders will use this as a basis on their credit decision for you whether they think you are likely to pay your debts or not. Your life basically depends on it.

Are you creditworthy?

Building one's credit takes time just like earning trust requires hard work. It is your financial reputation. Yet, it only takes one mistake to destroy it (e.g. repossessions, foreclosures, bankruptcies, accounts forwarded to collection agencies).

Each individual is entitled to obtain one free annual credit report. A bad credit score is 600 and below. Click HERE to get yours. Remember, the bigger the number, the better.

Here are some tips that can help increase your score and eliminate your worries:

- Try not to own too many credit cards. Opening and closing an account can influence your credit score. When there are too many inquiries made in your credit, it lowers your scores. Having two major credit cards is ideal. Owning one is a privilege so use it responsibly.

- Avoid late payments for it will remain on your records for years and years. If you don't have enough money to pay the bill in full, just send and pay whatever is the minimum amount to avoid late payment but try to pay as much as you can. Being delinquent is never a good thing.

- Do not utilize your entire available credit. Overspending will hurt your scores even if you pay it all off each month. It is recommended to spend only 30% of your credit limit.

- Keep an old credit card to acquire long credit history.

- Pay off big debts i.e. car loans, mortgage (if you can). When you pay off big loans, your credit score jumps up the ladder.

- If you're a victim of IDENTITY THEFT, report to the creditor right away. The creditor will then give you instructions on how to get your good credit back. You will have to submit documents though to prove that you are who you claim you are. Then they will correct it with the credit bureaus.

If there's anything you would like to add, please feel free to do so. Some people do not pay attention about this and many are not duly informed. There will come a time that they will realize how serious and important it is until it might be too late.

Being a responsible citizen is like making not only your future but also your children's future lives easier.

So, have you checked your scores yet?

A Healthy Relationship

noreply@blogger.com (.Skye.) — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 16:09:00 +0000

How do you know that you're in a healthy relationship and how to keep it that way?

With the world's population, currently almost reached 7 billion, how do you know which person is the right one for you? Is it possible? Or do you ever wonder if you're going to be a bachelor/spinster?

For some people who continuously seek a partner in life, they gamble everyday and go through a tough trial and error stage which is quite unfortunate. You are one lucky person if you have already met your perfect match. I have. Congratulations to all of us =B

Certain ingredients are essential in keeping a healthy relationship. It brings happiness to our lives, less stress and no pressure. This is my paradigm of a healthy relationship.

Trust - based on my experience, trust is a very important quality in a healthy relationship. My significant other lets me do anything i want as long as it makes me happy. I would definitely say we are very open and honest to each other. He doesn't care who i talk to, who i chat with and who i go out with. He gives me all the freedom i want, that according to him i completely deserve, yet he doesn't have to feel insecure because he knows exactly where he stands in my life. No wonder we're still together until now, going stronger, ten years and counting, no worthless interruptions. Thank God!

Respect - before we started dating, we already know what our usual routines are. We don't want to change anything we're accustomed to because we accept each other of who and what we are. Don't try to control or manipulate a person like you own them. Value them as a person, an individual, just let him/her be. Although, i try to adjust a little, know the boundaries. In return, i also respect his need for privacy. (sometimes =0)

Support - My better half stands by my side on the most difficult times in my life, helps me go through with it and always there to make me smile. I do the same to him. A healthy relationship is one who knows how to give and take. It should be a two-way street not a one-way ticket.

Communicate & Share - Another significant quality in a healthy relationship is understanding. Not only that means mutual understanding but also understanding each other. Take me and my hubby for example, i speak bisaya and tagalog while he speaks hangok mal, dialects from two totally different countries. We have to meet in the middle to understand each other. Bottom line, English is our primary language at home. Also, we see to it that we teach and share our own languages, traditions and beliefs to each other. Am glad we're both willing to learn and there is a lot of room for positive growth.

Love - of course. For me, the first few months, sometimes even first year, you can not really say you love a person. May just be a mere infatuation. Love takes time just like a tree that grows from a seed. Long distance relationships, for me, don't count. It's a waste of time. You get to know a person better if you live in the same roof. That's when you see their true colors, and as it gradually shows, you're starting to realize if he/she is the one you want to be with forever.

No matter how much you love a person, if you don't know how to practice these qualities listed above, too often such relationships fail. Of course, there's also a number of important factors involved to keep a healthy relationship, to wit: physically, financially, emotionally and sexually. Remind me if i forgot something.

They also say love makes the world go round and it's ALL you need. All you need??Then i say, "when hunger enters the door, love jumps out of the window". Duh!! Hmm, where did that come from?

Lastly, if i have said something offensive or not so pleasant to your eyes in reading this post, I do apologize. It's unintentional. I believe in the freedom of speech, and i just want to express what i truly feel inside. This blog is purely based on my own experience, not just my imagination. I expect everybody to respect that and i will do the same for you. You can leave me a message/comment, but please be subtle. Thanks!

My Simple Valentine

noreply@blogger.com (.Skye.) — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 22:45:00 +0000

Do you happen to recognize this cute little thing? This is probably one of the most popular packaging you receive on Valentine's Day or every other occasion. And yes, it's what i got for V-Day and more :)

The international icon Tiffany Blue Box is trademarked, patented and definitely one of my most favorite box of all time, my favorite when it's not empty, absolutely! LOL.

TIP: You cannot buy these boxes because Charles Tiffany wants to give it to you for FREE with purchase of course with the matching shopping bags.

I get so ecstatic every time my hubby hands me one of these. It makes me feel so special and a queen of my own right. You sure understand why, hahaha!

Don't get me wrong. It's not all about the gifts i receive but it's the thought that counts right? Okay, okay, edit that out. Who doesn't like gifts? Let me put it this way... It doesn't have to be expensive as long as it's Tiffany. Is that better? LMAO!

Valentine's Day is also a special day for me and my significant other cause guess what? It is our 10th year Anniversary :) It's kind of chintzy but Cheers anyway!

I could say that our relationship is getting better and stronger each year. No kidding! We never get tired of each other. I think that's when you know that you're in a very healthy relationship. I've never been this happy before.

I've had my fair share of broken hearts and failures too. Learnt so much from it. I just hope and pray I won't have to go through all that crap again. My life right now is unbelievably perfect as it is and I wouldn't want anyone steal it away.

As a huge believer that everything happens for a reason; not only do i believe it but it's a reality. Everything happens in its right course of time. Don't look for it. Don't force it. True love will find its way straight to you. Sometimes it may take a little while but it will come. Enjoy and live your life happy.

"Good things come to those who wait indeedy."

FTC Disclaimer: This is not an endorsement. It was given to me for Valentine's Day.

To My Beloved Late Grandma FCDS

noreply@blogger.com (.Skye.) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 23:05:00 +0000

Dear Grandma,

It's been 8 long years. There's nothing i can do to bring you back but i know you're not gone. No words can describe how i feel inside. I just wish i could share with you my life right now. Thank you for everything you have made of me. I love you so much and Happy Birthday, Lola! (it's February 10 today in my country) and yes, we still celebrate your birthday.

I MISS YOU
(by Miley Cyrus - not a big fan, but i love these perfectly written lyrics. It's just how i feel, really. I literally cry every time i play the song. I miss you so much, my LOLA!) ~ watch live performance on Oprah below.

Sha-la-la-la-la, sha-la-la-la-la
You used to call me your angel
Said I was sent straight down from heaven
You'd hold me close in your arms

I loved the way you felt so strong
I never wanted you to leave
I wanted you to stay here holding me

[CHORUS:]
I miss you
I miss your smile
And I still shed a tear
Every once in a while
And even though it's different now
You're still here somehow
My heart won't let you go
And I need you to know
I miss you, sha la la la la
I miss you

You used to call me your dreamer
And now I'm living out my dream
Oh how I wish you could see
Everything that's happening for me
I'm thinking back on the past
It's true that time is flying by too fast

[CHORUS]

I know you're in a better place, yeah
But I wish that I could see your face, oh
I know you're where you need to be
Even though it's not here with me

[CHORUS x2]

(I miss you)

The Unhealthy Relationship

noreply@blogger.com (.Skye.) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 02:06:00 +0000

Symptoms of an unhealthy relationship, according to me:

~ starts when you feel unhappy, scared and worried.

~ when you're better staying late at work and not looking forward to seeing your incompetent and super boring partner's face at home.

~ You breathe a sigh of relief when you see him drive away

~ becomes abusive verbally and physically

~ when you feel pressure to change to make the other person happy

~ when the other person tries to control and suffocate you

~ when you start yelling and hitting at each other in an argument

~ when you feel stagnant, there's no hope for you to grow in the relationship.

Every relationship varies and people handle each situation differently. The more you try to hold onto this unhealthy relationship, the more damage it will cause you and your ego.

To me, this abusive other person is not worth your time and effort. Find a way to escape from that hell house and leave the loser. Loser begets loser.

Go have a happy life! You deserved a lot better.

Disclaimer: This is just my opinion and facts I see in most problematic relationships and some of them related from my own personal experience so cut me some slack!:)

Bad Breath Quick Fix

noreply@blogger.com (.Skye.) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 22:01:00 +0000

Don't you just hate your morning breath?
Do you think celebrities or people with perfect teeth never had a bad breath?
Even dentists?
Think again.

Bad breath is embarrassing, disgusting and definitely despised by everybody.

Regardless of how gorgeous you may look, if your breath stinks, you stink!
No matter how many times you brush your teeth in a day, or how often you floss and even if you drink the whole bottle of mouthwash (don't do that), you will still get bad breath as the day unfolds.

Anything you put inside your mouth, small particles are left and remains unseen in your tongue. This will cause bacteria to buildup appearing to be "white stuff" you see which causes 90% of bad breath.

By not cleaning that out, your breath will smell awful, so awful that it could possibly poison the person you're talking to, LOL!

Here are a few ways to check if your breath starts to reek:
1. Lick the back of the spoon or back of your wrist, let dry and smell. If it stinks, your breath also stinks.
2. You can also cover your mouth and nose with both hands and breath into it.
3. Or you can blow air on someone's face and ask him/her how your breath smells like (but that would be gross :)

To fix all that, a new Orabrush is introduced, which is a tongue cleaner made with super soft bristles and scraper combined specially created to reach the deep areas in your tongue removing that nasty gunk. This and a good oral hygiene practice makes perfect combination. Plus, don't forget to drink lots and lots of water.

I love this product and I, myself, benefited with its amazing INSTANT (you read it right) results. Having a wonderful korean husband (who also smokes occasionally), we obviously eat korean food every single day. Just imagine massive amounts of garlic, onions, kimchi and the whole enchilada. You get the picture. A regular toothbrush and a tongue scraper helps but just do half the job OraBrush does. I feel very lucky to get my hands on it before it's even out in the market.

With its constant usage, experience a fresher, cleaner feeling, a healthier tongue, the food tastes better and you smell fabulous up to 12 hours after using it.

Orabrushis available online and will be distributed by mass retailers nationwide in mid-2010.

If you still suffer from bad breath, you may need to see a doctor.

Cool Apps for Android

noreply@blogger.com (.Skye.) — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 05:31:00 +0000

Out of (currently) 20,000 plus and counting apps in the Android market, it is kind of overwhelming to think which one suits you best. You can try and download all of them and see for yourself if you want to keep it or not. But to those people who don't have the time (to do this) are probably wondering which ones are good, useful and entertaining?

To help you get started, this is my personal list of Android apps which i think is pretty cool to try. I'm still discovering new ones, so expect more apps to be added or removed in the future. Best of all, they're FREE! Click HERE to see Apps for Kids that i find interesting.

Aside from the obvious apps (like Facebook and Twitter) that you will surely download, these are my personal picks as of now.

Key Ring ~ This app puts all your membership or reward cards in one place minus the clutter of plastic in your purse. The only drawback is that it only works in establishments that uses gun/handheld scanners. It's so cool, the cashiers usually drop their jaws when i pull out my phone. LOL!

Shop Savvy ~ A barcode scanner. It's so fun and helpful when you go to the store and scan a barcode then it will show you the list of online and other local prices.

Call Faker ~ Are you having a boring conversation with someone that you want to get out of it so bad? Download this app set the contact, time, and ringtone and your phone will ring with a fake call, allowing you to get out of those awkward situations!

Sneaky Fart ~ 30 different realistic and funny fart sounds! great as an icebreaker when hanging around with friends.

My Days (Period & Ovulation) ~ It tracks and predict your period, ovulation and fertility.

Dizzler ~ an interactive music on demand engine. Stream millions of songs free on your Android.

TV.com ~ watch full episodes of your favorite TV shows from CBS, The CW, CNET, ET, Showtime and so much more! on your phone on wifi and cellular networks.

Metal Detector ~ it turns your cellphone into a metal detector. It's pretty cool but sometimes it's sensitivity is just inconsistent.

Bonsai Blast ~ this is really an entertaining game. I could play it for hours.

TIP: Just make sure to carry your cellphone charger along with you because having many apps will drain battery life quickly.

For more cool apps, visit www.androidanarchy.com

Do you have any cool android apps you want to add? Please share them with meme :)

FTC Disclaimer: I am not, in any way, affiliated to this company or whatsoever.

Treat Stiff Neck Fast

noreply@blogger.com (.Skye.) — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 08:54:00 +0000

This new decade has inspired my online social life to start anew. So, i created this project "New Beginnings", like making a new blog (this one), a new facebook page, a new twitter page, a new online shop, organizing my old online store and mind you, i even changed my cellphone number and provider (it's a long story), LOL!

I'm the kind of person who always try to finish what I've started especially if I love what I'm doing. I worked really hard for this and it makes me happy.

The past few days (Friday and Saturday) were "supposedly" dedicated to complete or finish my new project, meaning everything is in place i.e. done tweaking my template and other pages so i can just keep posting.

I worked in my computer for long hours and just took a break when i needed to feed my daughter or her nap time. If you are into these things, you'll know what i mean. For sure, you know this is not an easy task. It did wore me out.

The following day, Sunday, it was raining cats and dogs here, and obviously we woke up late. My back was aching but it was not that bad. We even went to the mall shopping for a little bit. But then it got worse there, i felt a strain of muscle on my nape but not that painful yet.

Call me crazy, but I was actually enjoying it (temporarily). OMG, i had the perfect posture i could ever imagine coz I had to stand straight, chest out, stomach in and the whole nine yards.

On our way home, I'm starting to feel the pain. I couldn't move. My hubby told me to get a glimpse of our daughter if she's already asleep in the car seat. Take note, I had to turn my whole body just to look at her instead of just turning my head. So much tension, it was awful. Right then I realized I officially have a stiff neck.

Finally at home, i put some pain relieving patches up my scruff like the Japanese Salonpas and the Korean Poultice Cataplasm, i even took a Motrin capsule but to little or no effect when these things used to be my trusted savior when me or my family suffer from muscle aches. A stiff neck is different, it's much much worse, more painful.

Since the heat from my cataplasm worked a little bit, I wanted to apply more heat and decided to take out my Shield Life (it's a warming pad and filters the harmful EMF = electromagnetic fields), placed it under my back nape area, set control on high and went to sleep. I woke up, literally a few minutes ago, and breath a sigh of relief, the pain was gone when i thought i had to go to the hospital. Thank you God for this invention. I am so happy right now resulting to writing this post.

My point is that i just wanted to share this experience hoping to help other people who might read this to get an idea on what to do because i did not know what to do. Nobody helped me besides my hubby. I don't want you to go through what I've been through yesterday.

There are so many kinds of heating pads available in the market but I've never tried them so I cannot recommend them. The only heating pad I can recommend is this Shield Life Health Mat because it has helped me so much and it worked for my pain perfectly. Its continuous heat healed me. It is available at most korean pharmacies in case you're curious.

Did you experience anything like this? I encourage you to please share your quick remedies for a stiff neck.

*My reliable friend*

I feel so much better right now and tempted to sit nonstop in front of my computer again. LOL! just kidding. No, i won't do that again. Besides, my pages look pretty now and proud of it dear! I'll take it slow :) xoxo!

FTC Disclaimer: I am NOT, in any way affiliated with the products mentioned above. I bought them with my own money. I just want to share my honest opinion because I believe it might help someone.

DIY: Manicure

noreply@blogger.com (.Skye.) — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 03:35:00 +0000

Do you want to give yourself a fabulous manicure at home but don't know what to do or what kind of tools you need to buy/use?

Are you having a hard time finding the one nail technician who can give you the polished look that exceeds your standards? I know that not everyone is particular but some people don't mind having those little bubbles or missed spots after the technician finished their nails but what the heck, you should get what you paid for.

Every single girl, sometimes even men know how to paint their own nails, but not everyone knows how to do it the right way or should i say the nail salon way :) Yes, i will guide you through the whole process.

Follow these easy simple steps:

1. Remove your old nail polish (if you have) with a polish remover or acetone on a cotton ball.

2. Clip or file your nails to desired length at preferred style (rounded or square) then buff.

3. Apply cuticle softener/remover and gently push your cuticles backwards using a cuticle pusher or manicure stick.

4. Take out the cuticles with a nipper. Please take note that this one needs practice. If you are not comfortable, just don't remove your cuticles. You don't want to end up cutting yourself. Some people prefer keeping it anyway.

5. Wash your hands one more time, moisturize and dry.

6. Apply the base coat or primer to help set your nail polish. This will prevent from chipping and peeling.

7. Put on your favorite nail polish color with 2-3 coats each nail. TIP: Apply first coat to all of your nails first to give it enough time to dry a little bit then top it off with the second coat. Do the same for the third coat if you want.

8. The last step is to apply a dry fast top coat which is just a clear polish to seal off the nails and make it more glossy and prolong the life of your manicure.

9. This part is optional but i always like to use a nail dryer nail conditioner spray (instructions on bottle). Not only it helps eliminate the long wait of drying your wet nails but it also moisturizes and conditions.

Helpful TIP: You can do steps 1~5 every two-three weeks depending on what you like. Steps 6~9 can be done as often as you change polish color. For example, i change polish color once or twice a week :)

Voila! You did it! Now show me your pretty nails.

P.S. Nail products are available at any beauty supply or cosmetic stores near you.

Check out my DIY: Pedicure tutorial!!

How To: Hibachi Style Vegetables

noreply@blogger.com (.Skye.) — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 05:01:00 +0000

I will teach you the easiest way to make Hibachi-style vegetables. This is the exact same vegetable dinner you order at expensive Japanese restaurants, even better. Believe me, i know so. Btw, this is one of my personal favorites.

It should look like this...
BEFORE
AFTER

Things You need: (Same order when you're cooking)
Butter
Onion
Green Bell Pepper
Broccoli
Zucchini
Carrots
pinch of salt
Sesame Seeds
Pepper
sprinkle of Soy Sauce (put this last or it will burn your food).

Get all the vegetable sliced and ready. Put them all together in a bowl.

Please take note that the broccoli needs a little extra attention. First, cut it in smaller portions. Boil about 2 cups of water plus a dash or two of salt. In that boiling water, put the broccoli in for 1.5 minutes. Rinse it and mix it together in the bowl with the rest of the veggies.

Personally, i prefer using organic (pick the prettiest one you find) and low-sodium soy sauce. You can't really tell the difference in taste but this choice is more healthy =))

Just like cooking fried rice, melt the butter and pour the bowl of veggies in the pan, cooking on high setting for 4~5 minutes. Right before you turn off the fire, sprinkle the sesame seeds and your low-sodium soy sauce enough to make the veggies look darker. Try to mix really fast.

That's it. A hearty good meal.

Your hibachi-style veggies ~ ready, crisp and delicious! yummm....

Pretty Frugal but Fabulous: Beauty Edition

noreply@blogger.com (.Skye.) — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 20:47:00 +0000

With today's lousy economy (and I'm telling you it's getting worse each month), I have decided to cut off my expenses starting middle of 2009 especially in the beauty department. Turns out, I'm really making a progress. I can see a big difference.

Here are some tips I came up with on being frugal but staying fabulous: Beauty Edition. Please note that this post will be constantly updated when something important comes up.

1. Shop once a month for your beauty essentials. Make a list of the things "you think" you need then evaluate. You'll find out that you can live without most of them. Don't be tempted of anything that says SALE or CLEARANCE, in the end you will not really use them. It is better to own one great product than having a lot of junk ones in your vanity table. Been there, done that.

2. Buy 1 item per category. For example, you don't have to get 2 kinds of moisturizers. One tinted moisturizer will do it or you may prefer a regular one. Or, one blush is enough, you don't have to buy all colors. Or, stick to your favorite perfume, keep using it and it will become your signature scent... and so on!

3. Quit going to the nail salon. Learn how to Do-It-Yourself, it's very easy and simple. Trust me, the results are much better. I said much better because I have been to dozens of nail salons (expensive and cheap) but all of them is not good enough for me. There's only one vietnamese guy that can pass my standards in doing the nails but he's like 30 mins away from my house. Even if i set up an appointment with him, it's not guaranteed that he can render me his services the moment i arrive (sometimes i have to wait 15-20 mins). I got tired, that's when i decided to do my own. Now i have fresh colors once or twice a week if i feel like doing it. And i save a lot of money, time and gas.

4. Go to your hair salon every 3 months instead of going every 6-8 weeks. Honestly, I go have my hair trimmed every 5 months and treat my hair once a year (i.e. magic perms).

5. Reduce going to spas/massages unless you're really stressed or have muscle pains. Best alternative is going to an unlimited sauna/spa. I am so lucky i have one 10 mins from my house. They're open 24 hours and you can stay there as long as you like. You can get services too but we're trying to be frugal here so we have to do it ourselves. They have different heated mineral pool, cold bath pool, aqua jets, dry/wet sauna (i call it steamers), relaxing lounge, healing rooms, mini gym... use all for 25 bucks. Definitely count me IN! P.S. Don't forget to bring your scrubbies.

6. Do your facials at home. There are so many products to choose from. It's just about finding the right one that works for your skin.

7. Make yourself busy so you forget about going out. BLOG!

When you think about it, beauty products are really not a necessity. They belong to unnecessary expenses. I know a lot of people who don't wear makeup and good for them coz that's a big plus in their bank account. But there are people who can't live without some beauty essentials, like me :))

This post simply serves as a guide for girls/women like me who are into vanity but want to improve their spending habits.

Hope this helps. If you have some tips you'd like to share, please feel free to post it here.

National Nothing Day?

noreply@blogger.com (.Skye.) — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 23:40:00 +0000

I woke up late today, as usual, then went to check my phone for messages or any updates about the world. So i opened my text messages and three of them were alerts, one of the alerts say that today is National Nothing Day. WTH, is there such a thing, really? The day is "supposedly" devoted to doing nothing at all, none!

How can you do nothing? If you eat, shower, watch TV, go online, play games.... you're actually still doing something. Maybe it is only applied in your job? something you don't have a choice but to do it anyways.

Well, as for me, my day was very productive. I've cleaned my house, cooked, washed/dry the laundry, folded them, watch my favorite shows and of course played with my daughter.

It's kind of fun though to learn new things every day even just through a simple text. I like that website (Visit Here), you can actually set up messages you want to receive on your phone. There are so many subjects to choose from.

A lot of people may find it a waste of time, but i enjoyed it honestly. Besides, it's one advantage having unlimited text messages right? Yes, please be aware that standard rates apply. Check it out.

My What's Hot/What's Not

noreply@blogger.com (.Skye.) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 22:38:00 +0000

My first What's Hot and What's Not... Things i enjoy and stuff that i love (currently, sort of.)

What's HOT!

My Fabulous New Blog
Yes, it's this one in front of you at the moment. Need i explain more?

Sephora
I now find myself going there at least once a week when i used to go every other month, WTH! I need to stop. Seriously!

LAMER Moisturizing CreamMy question? When will this product ever be kicked out in my What's Hot category? I've been using this for over 3 years now and it's just amazing. I warm the cream between my hands to apply it every night, you can instantly feel it working in your skin. IDK maybe it's just me lmao! Really. I swear by it.

My Sexy Android Phone
LOL! Got so excited when Android became available in the market. I have so much fun with it, i literally can't get my hands off of it. Hmmm, on that note, i came to realize maybe that's what got me into an accident last month, omg!

Essie Nail PolishFor me, this is the best nail polish I have ever used (I'm using it forever). It never chips. My fave colors are Ballet Slippers, Mademoiselle and High Maintenance (i have on right now). Don't get me wrong, i like OPI nail polish too for their hundreds of colors to choose from but i favor Essie the most.

What's NOT!

My Old Blog
That one doesn't make me happy anymore.

Iphone
I used to like it but every time i go out, everybody has it and it's just unbearable. Don't get mad at me, this is just my opinion and please respect it as i do respect yours.

Diary
The last time i remember using a notebook diary was in high school. But i think it's cool though that no stranger can read what you have written. LOL, does that make sense? But i find an online blog to be convenient as long as you don't post anything too personal.

Bath Soaps
I just don't like using them anymore. Currently, i am using Dove Nourishing Body wash.Love the smell, it feels great and very affordable too.

This will be all for now but just to let you know my list is endless.

BTW, i officially tag my friends
1. Jingle
2. Bingkee
3. Juphenove
4. Nathalie Brault
5. Aprilee Roach-Lawson
6. Emmyrose

To all of you who want to do this, please do share your What's Hot/What's Not. Maybe we can learn about one another and gain new friends. I'll probably do this every season. It's fun.

My future posts

noreply@blogger.com (.Skye.) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 00:42:00 +0000

What this blog will be about...

It has been a hard past week when i decided to change into *new beginnings* as described in my very first post. I thought very hard, maybe it really is the perfect time to move on.

Looking forward to future entries, this blog will discuss basically everything from fashion, beauty, lifestyle and to not only all the products in my store but will also review any other new products out in the markets worth blogging about.

I am already ecstatic with this change at the same time so excited to do all these and hoping that i will be able to keep up this time despite my busy schedule, especially, I have a daughter to attend to which is my #1 priority.

Also, wouldn't it be fun if there are nice readers out there who would like to suggest any topic to discuss here? Therefore, I gladly welcome any suggestions. Please feel free to google friend connect with me, it will make me really happy. See you around.

Starting Over...

noreply@blogger.com (.Skye.) — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 19:35:00 +0000

Okay, this post was due yesterday as originally planned but I got really busy working on my New Online Store. There's nothing i can do about that. Anyways, It is still January 2, 2010.

Yesterday was the first day of a new decade. A New Year with a New Year's Resolution. A better and peaceful life. An improved state of mind. A new email address. A new cellphone number. A new online store. A new blog.... this one! :)

New Beginnings? New Everything? YES! Maybe it is a good idea to put all of my items together in one store to avoid confusion and reducing too many accounts. Meaning, the combination of my Ebay, Etsy, Artfire and online stores in one.

I'm also moving on and starting over.... without wanting any of my friends to know (or maybe just a chosen few in due time) and leave all the oldies behind. I need to surround myself with people who are on my wavelength.

No offense to my dear friends but it seems that associating them with everything i do did not do me any good. So, I have decided to try a new way of doing things..... this time... without them. But I will still be the same old friend they knew, just not sharing any new info as to what's going on with my life.

Lastly, please check out my fabulous new online store
Click HERE. More stuff will be up soon, xoxo!