2016: What A Year!

2016: What A Year!

Saturday, December 31, 2016

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To say that 2016 was a tumultuous year is an understatement. From beginning to end, it seems that the year dropped on us one bomb after another. From deaths to tragedies to political situations, our country and the rest of the world went through one tough year. You don't need to go beyond your Facebook feed to see how divisive the world has become. 

Personally though, 2016 was good for me. I needed to go through 2016 to reboot, recharge, and realign myself with what I really wanted with my life. 

The year before this, 2015, had been rough. Between family drama, a business venture that didn't pan out, and getting sick again, I needed to breathe. In the latter part of 2015, an uncle offered me a job in the province, and it was the perfect opportunity for me to reset. I stayed there for a year. 

After living independently for many years, it was refreshing to be cared for again. I didn't need to worry about cooking my own food, doing the laundry, and cleaning the place. I had to adjust living with others though, because I wasn't used to not being alone in the house anymore. 

Many afternoons in the province were spent enjoying snacks like suman sa lihiya or tamales, a delicacy from Tiaong, Quezon. 

My job was pretty easy, the office a mere five minutes away from the house, and I always had a ride to and from the municipal hall, save for some days when I had to commute. On weekends, I went back to Manila to spend time with Jay and his family. 

Slowly, I began to heal. I began to dream again. I began to pick up the broken pieces and believe that things can still get better. 

I enjoyed bonding with my aunt, who loved entertaining guests over food. We had tacos for dinner one night!

And they did. After a year in Quezon, I went back to Manila. I took classes and workshops that helped me pursue my passion for writing, and I started being active on this blog. I met with friends, family, and carefully chose the jobs I applied for. I traveled. I felt my faith being restored and my commitment to God get stronger. 

4x4 ride at the Laoag sand dunes in Ilocos. 

With authors and editors Mina V. Esguerra (left) and Ines B. Yao at the Writing for YA workshop in September.

Experienced fall and winter in Tokyo, Japan.

At the airport before our flight back to Manila, I mailed a postcard addressed to my Dad, the first of many. At that moment, my siblings and I were in different parts of the world. I was in Japan, my Kuya in the States, and my sister in Norway.

With my high school girlfriends turned maid of honor and bridesmaid.

The most important blessing I received this year was when Jay and I decided to get married. We have been together for more than half our lives, and to finally take that step toward marriage is a prayer He answered in His perfect time. 

Our Japan trip was the cherry on top of my beautiful cake. We witnessed our first snowfall (it hasn't snowed in Tokyo in November for 54 years), and were fortunate to glimpse the magnificent Mt. Fuji. With the snowcapped mountain behind us, Jay asked me to be his wife. It was amazing. 

"He has made everything beautiful in its time." -Ecclesiastes 3:11

But God wasn't finished because there was another bonus in store for me. I planned to sell my banana loaves in December just in time for the Holiday season. I prayed that people would order because having no regular job, this was my chance to earn an income. And boy, did God deliver. 

Many friends ordered for their gifts and personal consumption. My heart is full!

My baking sidehustle was such a success, orders have spilled over to 2017! This is the path I really want to pursue, and I hope I get to have an opportunity to do so. 

2016 taught me a lot of things. To patiently wait, but to also ask for what you want and need. To pray, but to also work hard. To hustle, but to also rest when needed. 

Thank you dear readers for going on this journey with me. I know you're there (so please leave a comment! heehee), and my wish is that thru this blog, may I meet new friends and kindred spirits. See you in 2017 and let's discover together! 

Happy New Year! 

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Friday Fiction: Debts, Deaths, and Dreams

Friday Fiction: Debts, Deaths, and Dreams

Friday, December 9, 2016

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Dani stared at the LED screen showing lithe, bespectacled girls riding a gold bus down Las Vegas strip. Awash in cotton candy pink and yellow lights, the models blew bubbles and strutted down the street like it was their personal runway. Tall, confident, carefree. The girls on TV were everything Dani will never be.

Deciding she's had enough, she turned her back from the digital ad billboard and turned to the crowd in the shopping mall coffee shop. It's been fifteen minutes and her client is nowhere to be found. A brown envelope of cash burned through her purse, twenty thousand pesos she failed to deposit before the bank closed for the day. A handful of money and yet she couldn't spare to waste a cup of coffee for herself. She'd have to commute back home with the cash, but it's not something she hasn't done before. 

The trick is to act like there's nothing valuable in your bag. It helps that her nondescript tote is tattered at the edges, the synthetic leather peeling in different areas. Unlike the black nylon tote she sold that afternoon, a high-end bag she purchased two years ago before she left her last company. She originally asked for a higher price since the bag was in very good condition (she only used it once on a trip to Bali), all the gold hardware scratch-free and the straps were made of Saffiano leather, but her client was a frequent buyer and asked for a discount. With another deadline from the corrupt BIR officer looming, Dani had no choice but to give in. 

The last two months had been a blur of buying and selling her things, material possessions she acquired since she started working, stuff she now realize don't really amount to much in the grand scheme of things. Not when you were left with a mountain of debt by your mother, who decided to up and leave without any warning. 

Dani had a plan. Before she resigned from the events company she toiled in for five years to start her own wedding coordination team, she prepared everything needed to make her dream come true. She crafted a business plan, consulted her network of industry insiders, reached out to her freelance friends to jump on board. Everything was ready. What she didn't count on was her mother ruining everything for her. Again. 

When Dani was about to apply for a sole proprietorship at the BIR, she discovered that she was in fact, several years due for tax payments and penalties. It turns out, her mother used her TIN in opening a short-lived massage place (one of her many big ideas), forged her signatures, didn't pay the taxes, and never bothered to inform the bureau when it closed down.

So instead of starting her dream venture, Dani had to spend her savings to first pay for the fines of a business she never benefited from. 

Sadly, it was an all too-familiar scenario for the petite, insecure, and uptight lady now waiting to let go of another possession at a loss. She dug through her purse and felt the small drawstring pouch that holds a gold 18k necklace with a medallion pendant bearing the letter "D". It was a gift from her late father Danilo, after whom she was named. 

Dani tried her best not to break down. She had no time for drama right now. She gripped the wooden table before her, holding on tight as the tears threatened to spill. The necklace was the last thing her father gave her on his last trip back to the Philippines, when he spent two whole weeks of uninterrupted quality time with Dani and her mother. They went to a beach in Zambales, gorging on mangoes and grilled seafood. They went to Baguio and hoarded jars of Good Shepherd Ube Jam and Lengua de Gato.  

The next time Mang Danilo came home from Saudi he was in a coffin. A freak accident with a cement mixer at the factory where he had worked for ten years. Dani was sixteen. 



Mang Danilo made sure Dani and her mother would have a good life even after he was gone. But all his hard work went down the drain in two years when Dani's mother started gambling. It was small time at first. Cards and Mahjong whenever she and her friends would meet up for dinner at one of their houses. Then a friend introduced her to e-games, where she spent hours in front of a digital slot machine, befriending all the attendants and security guards where she played. She was winning too, but became too addicted that she ended up losing more than what she won. 

Soon Dani noticed pieces of furniture and appliances were missing. Her mother's handbag collection, gifts from Mang Danilo every time he went back home, started disappearing too. Then she saw a text message on her mother's phone, to an unnamed number, saying she needed to see him and pawn her ring because she already lost three hundred thousand that night.



When Dani confronted her, she denied everything. She said she was just destressing, handling her grief and passing time. A month later she disappeared, leaving a trail of debts and angry former friends banging at their door.



That was six years ago. And now the ghost of her mother still haunts her. Dani slid the necklace back to its pouch and began to stand up. It looks like her client is a no-show, and just as well. She won't be selling the necklace after all.



She's done paying for debts she doesn't owe.









*Friday Fiction is my attempt at writing again. Writing to better myself, and not just because I need it to earn money. On Fridays (not every Friday though), I'll be posting something I wrote. It can be snippets, short stories, or even poetry. Hope you can come back and check! 

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Flawless is Fab@15, and They're Having the Biggest Beauty Blowout

Flawless is Fab@15, and They're Having the Biggest Beauty Blowout

Monday, December 5, 2016

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I went to Flawess Trinoma branch to redeem the Revlite Insta Facial gift certificate I received during the Blog Biz Blogging Workshop. But I found out that the beauty clinic is celebrating their 15th anniversary this year, and clients are in for a treat!



December 8 is National Flawless Day, and because Flawless is Fab@15, they're hosting the biggest beauty blowout this entire month. They are giving away coupons that entitle patrons to awesome beauty deals good until December 31: buy 1 take 1 on facials, free products, service upgrades, and discounts on purchases. You can get these coupons at any clinic with no purchase necessary, and you can redeem them immediately!

So I took mine and chose the Free Facial Upgrade. My Classic Facial was upgraded to Oil Control Regular Facial. That means I only pay Php399 instead of Php625, and I save Php226! The catch is, I wasn't able to use my Revlite Insta Facial gift certificate because I can only use one promo at a time. But not to worry, because I can use it on another day.



Before the procedure started, my aesthetician showed me the sealed bag of tools she will be using for my facial. Flawless prides itself in ensuring hygienic practices for the safety of its clients. I have gone to different facial clinics and this was the first time I've seen this practice. It's important because no matter how beautiful the ambiance of a facial clinic is, if they're not implementing hygienic practices, then you're in the wrong place.



At the treatment room, my aesthetician showed me the locker by the foot of the bed where I could store my bag and other things. She gave me the key and asked me to lie down. We then started with my facial. She cleaned my face, started the steam, and proceeded with the pricking. During the procedure, she mentioned that instead of the Oil Control Regular Facial I chose, we should switch to Acne Control Regular Facial because she noticed my breakout on my chin area. This way, my skin would benefit from the facial more. I love that she mentioned it to me first before proceeding, so I was able to clarify if there was a price difference between the two (there was none).

Part of my kilay was erased. Heehee.

After pricking, a mask was applied to my face and left on for about 10-15 minutes. Next to steaming, it was the most relaxing part! The final step was the laser for my face. All done! I was advised not to wet my face for eight hours, and that I can come back the following week to redeem my Revlite Insta Facial gift certificate.

Me-time is pamper time!

When I finished paying, I filled out a coupon for a chance to win awesome raffle prizes, including a Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge in Rose Gold and a Yamaha Mio 125 motorcycle!



So this holiday season of giving, don't forget to treat yourself. Drop by any Flawless branch and celebrate the Fabulous You!

Flawless Clinics Nationwide

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Road-tested: Pure Beauté Bath and Body Products

Road-tested: Pure Beauté Bath and Body Products

Monday, November 28, 2016

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When I attended the #GetBLISStified workshop, I received a lot of goodies from partner brands. The thing I was most excited about was the Pure Beauté skin and bath products. They are made from all-natural ingredients, and don't contain any SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate) or parabens, which are harmful chemicals commonly used in commercial personal hygiene products. 

Pure Beauté is a work of love from Jean Javier, also known as Simple Mama. Her husband comes from a family who makes products from coconuts, so she decided to develop a brand of products made from virgin coconut oil. 



"Simple Mama PH has been something in my heart for a really long time," Jean tells us in an interview. "I wanted to make luxurious natural living available to the middle class (simple) mom. I know that an all-natural lifestyle can be intimidating to the simple mom especially in terms of cost (because we are ever aware of our home budget) and I really wanted to break the barrier."



I'm not yet a mom, but I became part of Simple Mama's target market because I want to be more conscious of the products I use for my face and body. Knowing that these natural products will also help lessen my carbon footprint is a bonus. Ever since I saw posts about Pure Beauté on Instagram, I couldn't wait to get my hands on them. I was especially drawn to the invigorating body scrub, which looked so luscious!

The entire range of full-sized products from the Pure Clean line for Php1,800. Love the packaging!

But because I have sensitive and acne-prone skin, I hesitated in buying the full sized set. I can't count how many times I bought products I had to throw out because I broke out after using them. The thing was, the travel-sized products weren't yet sold then, and were only available for special orders. So it was a pleasant surprise when I found out we were taking home the travel-sized kit for our workshop! Finally, I could try the products first to test if they're compatible with my skin.



The kit includes the clarifying facial wash, the revitalizing shampoo and conditioner, and the nourishing moisturizer. It comes in a clear resealable pouch perfect for traveling. The facial wash and moisturizer also has an additional cap to prevent spills. Although the body scrub wasn't included in the kit, it was fine. I still have a big tube of body scrub I haven't finished anyway.

The first thing I tried was the clarifying facial wash. It has a thicker consistency than most facial washes, and its color is clear rather than white. One small pump is enough to wash the entire face, but you'll wish to use more because it smells so heavenly! The scent reminds me of cotton candy, and I enjoy washing my face with it. There's no tingling or tightness after washing your face, just a smooth and squeaky clean feeling. It also removes makeup well, but you may want to wash your face twice to be sure.



After washing my face and applying my usual toner, I used the nourishing moisturizer. Confession: I'm a few months away from turning 30, and moisturizing has never been part of my skin care regimen. Shocking, I know. Cleanse, tone, and moisturize has been drilled into my magazine-reading consciousness since I was a teen but I never really followed through. Because of my problematic skin, the closest I had to a skin regimen was the Proactiv line, which has an anti-pimple cream instead of the moisturizer, and that's not really the same, is it?



So it was my first time to use a moisturizer. The first night, I pumped more than I needed and I just used the excess as lotion for my hands. And because I'm a noob, I also used the product around my eye area. A couple of days later, I noticed that the skin around my eyes felt more tender than usual, and it stung. The only thing different with my routine was the moisturizer, so of course I Googled if I could use it around my eye area. You can guess what the answer is: a big resounding NO. The skin around our eyes are more tender so we need to use a separate eye cream for them. So for newbies like me, you have been warned!



But other than that mishap, I LOVED applying the moisturizer. Like the clarifying facial wash, it smelled like cotton candy and the formulation is not sticky at all. I have oily skin and this is a perfect moisturizer for me. I use it twice a day, and I regret starting it too late, because just a week after using it, the difference was so noticeable! I attended another workshop and when I posted my photo on FB and IG, three people told me I was blooming. And I totally credit the moisturizer because I wasn't even wearing concealer on the photo, just regular face powder! The evidence:

That's me on the left, with Frances Sales of Topaz Horizon

So there. If I had to pick a favorite among all four products, it's the moisturizer hands down! One pump goes a long way because you don't need a lot for your entire face. And while I still got a couple of pimples, it was during my period, and what's different is they seem to heal faster now. Maybe it's because my face is moisturized and not too dry from using the anti-acne gel on my pimples. I also brought this to my recent trip to Japan, and it worked great for the cold weather. It prevented my skin from becoming dry. 



You want to know something shocking? As I was reading other feedbacks from those who have tried the Pure Beauté products, I found out that the moisturizer was used for the hands! So I clarified with Jean and she said it's actually a face and body moisturizer. See, it is so good and pure that it's gentle enough for your face! I am hooked, I tell ya.



As for the revitalizing shampoo, I was surprised that it lathers well, considering it doesn't contain any SLS. It also smells like cotton candy, and even if I've had an active day (from working out or running errands), my hair retains the smell. I also dyed my hair and even if I didn't use any other treatments, my hair didn't become dry or frizzy. That's the virgin coconut oil at work!



Among the four products, the revitalizing conditioner is the one that smells like coconut. Using it instantly transports me to the beach! And like the shampoo, this worked great for my dyed hair. 



I'm so excited for the other products they will offer. I hope they come out with a makeup remover since I've seen a lot of articles on the web about the wonders of coconut oil as makeup remover (and general beauty use). 



For now, you can buy the Pure Clean set at the Simple Mama website. They also offer other lines such as the Pure Detox (a set you use once a week to remove product build-up and impurities), Pure Baby (the gentlest products for your little one), and Pure Bounty (Virgin Coconut Oil, which I'm interested to use for my baking). You can buy them as a set or individually. You may also order thru their hotline, +639067044249. They're now offering the Pure Clean travel-sized kit for only 599! 

Simple Mama has also begun to get distributors around the country to reach more clients and help moms earn. Jean shares: "That is the other aspect of Simple Mama PH, we are built for distributorship so that moms may have the option to make an income as well." 



Now for the best part! Because you read until the end, you're in luck because the generous Simple Mama is offering a 10% discount to those who will purchase their products from my page! Just go to their website, create an account, choose the products you want, and input the code SIMPLEMAMAPH-RIAG upon checkout. This is an EXCLUSIVE OFFER for my dear readers so go, go, go!





Simple Mama PH

+639067044249

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*Road-tested is my review of products I purchased (unless indicated otherwise). If you have product recommendations or situations for my next road tests (waterproof products on the beach), leave a comment below!



**2nd and 4th photo from Simple Mama's Instagram.

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Awesome Gifts for Only 88 Pesos!

Awesome Gifts for Only 88 Pesos!

Friday, November 18, 2016

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The holiday season is here and you're probably fixing your gift list for family and friends. It's also the time for exchange gifts among barkadas and office mates. If you're on a budget, wastelands are the perfect place to search for your gifts! I did the window shopping for you dear readers, and I found awesome items at Daiso Japan (a.k.a. the 88-peso store) in Trinoma (it's inside True Value on the ground floor). While they're affordable, they don't look cheap, plus they're all very useful! There's also a variety of gifts to choose from for whatever personality the recipient has.





For the Girly Organizer: A flower-printed plastic accordion file keeper.



This is so cute! It has 13 pockets for receipts, tickets, and other knick knacks. It's also great if you're trying to budget your cash. Just put sticky labels on the tabs for each budget category. It's small enough to fit your purse.

The print is so kawaii!

Oh, here's a spending tip I learned. If you want to buy something, say a pair of shoes or a bag, it's better to save for it first. Put away a portion of what's left of your money after savings and expenses (use this accordion keeper!), then when you have the money and the item is still in the store, then buy it. That way, you don't incur an unnecessary expense, plus you get time to think about your purchase. Do you really want it or is it just a spur-of-the-moment thought? Then, if you end up not wanting it after all, or if it's no longer available, you end up with more savings! 

For the Wanderlust: A waterproof travel document holder. 

This is great especially when you're traveling to a place with rainy weather, or if you're clumsy and have a tendency to drop your things. It's important to keep your travel documents safe and dry! Daiso has other passport holders in different designs including Mickey Mouse and Star Wars prints. 

This document holder doesn't just hold your passport, it also has pockets for your airline tickets, boarding pass, foreign currency, and even your train cards. A travel tip: Make sure you have the local currency of your destination with you before you leave the airport. You don't have to exchange all your money at the airport, because you might get a better rate in money exchange stores outside, but make sure you have at least $100 worth with you for emergency purposes.

For the Techie: Daiso has an entire wall devoted to different products for your phone and computer. iPhone cases, headphones, cables, mouses, take your pick!

For the Fitness Enthusiast: Weights.



The blue and red dumbbells on top weigh 1Kg each, while the aquamarine and baby pink ones below don't indicate the weight, but you can fill them with water to make them heavier. The 1Kg dumbbells are such a great deal because those cost a lot in sport shops.

For the New Mom: Baby socks/booties. I'm not a mom so I don't claim to be an authority in this, but I think it's best not to buy expensive gifts for newborns/infants especially for clothes and shoes because they outgrow them so fast! Just make sure that the quality of the product is good and won't cause any skin allergies for the baby. 

For the Explorer: Multi-Functional Portable Knife. This is a useful gift to your friends and office mates who love to be ready for anything. You can use it for camping, fishing, or just opening a wine bottle! It's made of steel too so you know it will last long.

Bonus: For the Makeup Lover, an acrylic case with mirror. 

This one costs more than Php88 (Php188 if I remember it right), but is still a good find because it sells for double the price in other stores. You can organize your lipsticks or earrings in the compartments and it has a convenient mirror for when you wear them. 

I love wasteland stores because you find a lot of affordable items that you'd otherwise pay much more for in other places. The important thing is to make sure you only buy what you really need because you can get carried away since everything is so affordable.



I hope I helped you trim down your list, go and share this post with your family and friends!



For a list of Daiso Japan branches in the Philippines, click here. 

Like them on Facebook for more gift ideas.

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Romy Dines at Trufa Pasta Bar

Romy Dines at Trufa Pasta Bar

Friday, November 11, 2016

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I had appointments in Makati a couple of weeks ago and during my lunch break, I wanted to eat somewhere I haven't tried before. I rarely get the chance to explore Makati because I'm a North girl. There are so many restaurants to try! So I walked around and looked at my options.



I wanted to try Your Local and finally sample their famous Salmon Donburi, but I arrived past 2pm and they already finished their lunch service. I turned around and saw that there was a pasta bar across the street. I decided to check it out.



Trufa is a self-service pasta bar that also offers tapas, salads, drinks, and desserts. Co-owner Patricia Espino wanted to pay an homage to Barcelona, after a memorable trip to Spain. Together with her business partner Gerard Lorente, they created a menu perfect for a quick bite, a leisurely lunch, and even for a wind down after a hard day's work.

The interiors are cozy with wood, black, and white taking center stage. The soft lighting creates a relaxing ambiance perfect for people who just want to hide away from the busy and buzzing Makati. For people who like to hang out at Instagram-worthy places, this one is for you!

Because I arrived after lunch, the place was quiet and only one other customer was inside. Service was quick and attentive.

The pasta bar is a self-service resto but I guess because there was no other customer, a server approached me at my table to get my orders.



From their tapas selection, I chose Montadino de Salmon (Php185), four crispy baguette slices topped with smoked salmon and cream cheese. Crunchy and tangy, I loved this appetizer! They sprinkled green onions and paprika on top, but I think they should also try adding a bit of red pepper flakes for a little kick.

There are three steps in ordering your pasta dish: 1. Choose your salsa, 2. Choose your pasta, and 3. Choose your alegria. In Spanish, the word alegria means joy, cheer, happiness. So for me, that third step is like the cherry on top of your cake! I chose Carbonara Filipina (Php260) for my salsa, tagliatelle (Php50) for my pasta, and trufa (Php50) for my alegria. I've always associated the aroma of truffle to feeling comfort, ever since I first tasted it in a ravioli dish at Bellini's in 2008. And since the restaurant is named Trufa after all, it's only fitting to try their secret truffle sauce.



They also offer Trufa in their salsa selection, but I was curious with the Carbonara Filipina , a mix of crispy dilis, smoked fish, cream, and parmesan.

The serving looks small but it is actually filling. I am partial to salty dishes, and I enjoyed this a lot although there are sweet notes that came from the crispy dilis. The flavors of the smoked fish and dilis are pronounced and blended well with the cream and truffle. 

Trufa is generous with their ingredients, so you get your money's worth. Since the prices for the salsa, pasta, and alegria are separated, the menu can be confusing at first glance so you must remember to compute the prices of all three to find out how much the dish exactly costs. This one totaled Php360. 

Trufa also offers a selection of desserts. I chose the Bocadillo Dulce (Php80), their version of a nutella smores sandwich. A marshmallow coated in chocolate is sandwiched by two chewy cookies, this is a sweet ending to a savory meal.



I would go back to Trufa the next time I am in the Makati neighborhood. And I'll make sure to bring someone with me so we can order more dishes, haha! As a pasta lover, I am elated with all the pastabilities! I want to try their other tapas plates and their signature Trufa dish. Here's their complete menu.

TRUFA PASTA BAR

Planters Building, Esteban St., Legazpi Village, Makati

+639178045011

Operating Hours: 11am-7pm

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Blog Biz Blogging and Chika Workshop: How to Earn From Your Blog

Blog Biz Blogging and Chika Workshop: How to Earn From Your Blog

Friday, October 28, 2016

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Developing my blog is my passion project for this year. I know, there are two months left in 2016, but my deadline for this is September 2017. To help me achieve this, I previously attended the #GetBLISStified Workshop, and I also took online courses that teach me how to blog more purposefully. While I am still in between jobs, I want to use my time wisely by taking advantage of workshops and other resources that will help me reach my goal.



That's why when Frances Sales, a successful blogger and my former office mate from Summit announced she's having a workshop, I immediately signed up, no questions asked!

Before she became a blogger, Frances was the editor-in-chief of OK! Magazine. She was one of the few people from other Summit magazines who became my friend. We went to the same event and talked while were were on our way to the venue. At that time, her husband Vince was also the editor-in-chief of T3 Philippines. I remember seeing them together in the pantry and I always get kilig because their love story is like a book/movie plot.



When OK! shut down, she concentrated on blogging, at first maintaining three blogs (Topaz Horizon, Topaz Mommy, and Beauty For A Living), until she dropped the other two and combined everything on Topaz Horizon. Now, blogging is one of her family's main sources of income. It also allows her to spend more time with her husband and three sons. She's also the co-founder of Beauty Biz Bliss, a community of and for working women.



I am a fan of Frances because aside from her writing credentials, her opinions are always so honest and refreshing. When I read her blog, I know the brands she works with are really ones she patronizes. She's such a credible voice that I often think of her whenever I pass by a Skechers stall and when I pick up Jolly mushrooms/corn kernels at the grocery (she's an ambassador for these brands)!

With Frances. This is the second Topaz Horizon workshop I attended!

Our workshop was held at the main office of Flawless in Ortigas on October 8, a Saturday. The rain was pouring hard that afternoon, but we all still made it. Most of the participants were mom bloggers, because Frances is a mom blogger herself. We introduced ourselves, what our blogs are about, shared our blog journeys, and what we want our blogs to be (aside from earning!). It was great listening to other bloggers because even if we may write about the same things, we also have specific goals we want to achieve for our blogs.

The main focus of the workshop was how to earn from blogging. Just like Frances, the workshop was clear and straightforward. She gave us tips and actionable steps on how we can pivot our blogs to make them earn, without sacrificing what we are about. She even gave us an assignment, to make our own About Page and our own media kit! A media kit is what you present to the brands so they can know more about you and your blog, to help them decide if they want to work with you.



I won't divulge everything that we learned here, of course! But I will tell you some of my key takeaways from the workshop.

1. You need to commit. 

Blogging is hard. Writing is hard. Your blog will not magically earn money even if you do nothing to it. You have to put in the work, you have to put out content that is engaging and will make your readers come back for more. You also need to put yourself out there, as in promote your blog. Because if nobody knows your blog exists, nobody will read you!

2. You have to be consistent. 

This is the problem I am having now, because even if I have the content for the blog, it's the discipline and consistency I'm lacking. I am still trying to work out a writing habit, and I guess it goes back to number 1, which is commitment. It's easy to say I want this blog to succeed, it's another thing to make it happen. But I will! So hold me accountable, dear readers! If you see no content from me for several days, leave a comment and ask me why. You're also welcome to suggest things you want to read here. You may check out my About page and see what this site is all about. I need all the help I can get, so let's do this together!

3. Looking the part comes with the job. 

This may seem trivial and shallow, but Frances underscored the importance of looking good in the world of blogging. Just because you work from home, doesn't mean you can forego fixing yourself up when it's time to go out and attend events. You don't have to look like you stepped out of the pages of a magazine, but you have to look appropriate. Show up like you mean it, not like you were forced to be there.





The third learning is one of the reasons why Frances partnered with Flawless for the workshop. She told us how Flawless helped boost her confidence by helping her with her acne problem. And she wanted us to experience the Flawless service too, so each one of us came home with a free gift certificate for one of Flawless's new offers, the Rejuvelite Insta Facial. I can't wait to try it!

Flawless Marketing Manager Renée Funtanilla also dropped by to discuss what brands look for when building a relationship with bloggers. This was helpful because we got an inside scoop on how we can establish and maintain relationships with brands, which is one of the ways to earn with your blog. I loved Renée's presentation! It was catchy and unique, a tip she also gave us because she kept saying, "You're marketing to marketers." So that's one thing to keep in mind.

Class picture! With Renée Funtanilla, marketing manager for Flawless (fifth from left, standing).

Does this make you want to know more about how to earn with your blog? You're in luck because Frances is having another workshop this November. There's no definite date and time yet, but it will be in BGC, possibly on a weekday morning.



I can vouch for this workshop because you won't only learn about blogging, you'll also love the chika part. And you can't beat her workshop fee at P600. Like her Facebook Page to know more. Leave a comment below if you're interested!

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