The Planner Phase

I've always had a thing for notebooks, paper, journals and planners. Whenever I see teasers about the red cups coming to town, two things immediately come to my mind:

1. I can't wait to get my hands on my favorite Starbucks peppermint mocha.
2. It means the Starbucks stickers and race for the planner is on!

I was able to collect Starbucks Planners before and enjoyed treating my friends during the freebie days ( buy one take one) and I really did take advantage of the coupons.

I was able to collect I think 3 or 4 Starbucks planners until I discovered Belle de Jour planners in 2009 (with more coupons) that made me switch in an instant.

Now, after 3 years of owning Belle De Jour Planners, I think I am on to another phase...

Someone's feelin' my shoes

I admit I'm not really much of a CAT person but isn't this just kyooooot?!

I was looking for my shoes the other week when I saw this little baby making himself at home. I took photos and he didn't even move. He was fast asleep inside my shoe ( I initially thought he died! LOL!) until I picked him up and gave him to his Momma Cat because if I let him sleep in, I'm going to be late for work.

Happy Madison's Just go with it!

For some reason I already downloaded Adam Sandler's Just Go With It in my iPod but have not had the time to watch it. So last weekend, I watched it with my friend Mina. We opted to go for a Saturday Night Chick Flick night over some weekend drinking spree.

Mina: Have you seen Just Go with it?
Me: What's that movie all about again?
Mina: That's Adam Sandler's! You love Adam Sandler!
Me: Oh yeah! I downloaded it but I haven't had the chance to watch it.

Oh Mina, you know me well! :)

According to IDMG movie synopsis:

Danny, after getting burned in a previous relationship, decides to avoid commitment by telling every girl he hooks up with that he's married. But when he meets a gorgeous young girl named Palmer, he thinks she could be the one until she finds out he's "married". So in order to keep their relationship still going, he tells her that he and his "wife" are getting a divorce. When she insists on meeting her, he asks Katherine to pose as his wife. Katherine takes a call from one of her children, Palmer assumes that they're Danny's so wants to meet them. And it's at this meeting that Katherine's son tricks Danny into taking them all on a trip to Hawaii.. Written by rcs0411@yahoo.com

The Movie Poster

Reusable Wedding Gowns

I was in the middle of planning Halloween costumes with my regular Halloween-mates  when I got a message from my friend in GS who's going to get hitched this Saturday! We were talking about theme weddings for next year and I never really realized that a lot of people really do get married until I realized that I am supposedly in the marrying age! Chos!

Anyway, Speaking of cool weddings, Regine donned this red wedding gown by Monique Lhuiller and matched it with knee-high boots

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Then Vera Wang (who did Kim Kardashian's wedding gown) came up with line of Black wedding gowns (perfect for reuse and Halloween!).

Here are my favorites:

Talk about wedding gowns that you can reuse!

I remember my friends, Claire and Pietro's Rock Star Black wedding early this year. We all wore black except the bride!

To see Vera Wang's collection see this article.

Because @joyjarumayan pumped up my Halloween Spirit!

Anyone close to me knows that I have this thing about Halloween. Halloween is like my personal holiday and through the years I’ve celebrated it in my own little way by playing dress up and attending Halloween parties. 

Halloween 2009 at Amber, The Fort

BTS Engagement Shoot at Sweet Harmony Gardens

I found a way to lessen my photo loaded entries because I most of the time let the pictures do the talking themselves. I have many events coming right up and I've got to find a way to segregate pictures so I asked my sister to teach me how to lay out pictures using photoshop. Excuse the photos, these are my first ever try at the program and the pictures are all raw. 

We had the opportunity to tag along at my friend and former colleague, Veeya's pre-nup photoshoot with Nice Print Photography. The last time I saw Veeya was during our good friend, Chubi's wedding and that's more than a year ago. She and her beau were already making plans of getting hitched and now we're a couple of months away from the big day.  (Plus: She's 5 months to family way as well!) 

Couple: Veeya Monteclaro & Louie Fadul

Official Photographer: Nice Print Photography

Hair: Aprille Araguas

Make up: Kristine Araguas

Photos by Aprille Araguas

Venue: Sweet Harmony Gardens, Taytay, Rizal 

The Venue and pictorial site

Stress-resistant Dipliner

I’m not really a huge fan of eyeliners but I’ve always liked how eye muk-up lightened Kim Kardashian’s already pretty face.

So since it’s too dyahe to wear make up to my current job, I decided to use eye-liner instead to make me look “awake”.

My former boss (and friend) Julie, introduced me to this really cheap dip liquid eye liner called Fashion 21 dip liner. It basically has the requirements that I want in an eye liner:

• Easy to use/apply.
• Water/Tears/Sweat Resistant.
• Long-wearing.
• Very handy.
• Very affordable.

I call it stress-resistant eyeliner! 

Combined googled pictures of Kim Kardashian

Maybelline's Unstoppable Mascara & Fashion 21 Black Dipliner

I have nothing but good things to say about this liquid eyeliner because I swear, I tried another Dip Liners (like the local brand, Ever Bilena) but it did not come close to Fashion 21.

Once applied it dries easily and when dry, it becomes what they call “rubberized” so it’ll be on your lids for the entire day. For easy removal you have to use baby oil and cotton buds to remove because water and alone, sometimes is not enough. Unless you really rub your lids hard enough to take them out.

For best results, after applying the mascara, use Maybelline’s mascara.

Engagement Shoot collaboration with @ellipra

When my sister invited me to do the styling and creative directing for her colleague's photo shoot to be held at Museo Pambata I immediately said "Gow!" for these reasons:

• I've never been to Museo Pambata
• I need a break from grad school 
• I need to do something that I looooove to do!

My sister, Aprille, introduced me to the couple. We were running against time so all the pleasantries happened during the preparation (read: hair and make-up).

The couple was very easy to work with, they were shy and not the PDA type of couple but they gamely posed when instructed to do so. We were done shooting after 2 hours!

I chose my personal favorite shots of the couple. The complete set is on my sister's blog.

Date: September 2011
Venue: Museo Pambata, Manila
Photos taken and processed by: Aprille Araguas
Creative Director: Kristine Araguas


When I found these typewriters sitting quietly at a corner, I immediately had an idea on what to do with it! 

We played with the typewriter concept

We had to make use of the stairs of the miniature old house exhibit...

There's a fake grass and even though there were kids running everywhere, the couple gamely posed and got the job done!

We saw this cute barbershop and thought of an on-the-spot shot:

This is such a cute church! I was inside the church while this photo was taken because I had to hold the door.

These candid shots were taken inside the replica of the human intestine. I was outside giving directions through the holes.

It's a good thing the fire station display provided costumes for kids.

We had the train shot by end of the day because we couldn't find the proper timing where no one is sitting on the train. 

Of course, what's a pre-nup shoot without the "silhouette of a kiss"...

Complete set of the pictures at: Aprille Araguas' Official Website.


All photos are processed and edited by Aprille Araguas.


It's very challenging to do an on-site concept shoot but I enjoyed it because the venue provided lots of inspiration. I've done and participated in pictorials before but this is the first time that I only met the couple on the day (actually on the set) of the pictorial so the concept and poses were all on the spot. There were no costume assignments or prior instructions or preparations. 


It's a good thing that the couple gamely posed for us and it's a good thing that their official photographer was also accommodating and friendly. I thought I would only instruct my sister who's taking the candid shots, but it turned out I directed and assisted two photographers (amateur and professional) at the same time.