I find it entertaining when my children explain their drawings or paintings. There is almost always some sort of story behind them even when the drawing are very abstract. A lot of times it's intentional, but sometimes, they just make up descriptions as they go. For Father's Day, Summer, Emma and yes, even Jo, surprised their Papa with mini canvas paintings. Here's what they have to say about what they made: Secret Garden by Emma Louise "I want to make a BIG heart for Papa." After painting the heart, she proceeded to cover it with multi-colored dots and lines. "It's like a Read More
No Fun Day
Our family of five has been having a streak of random days lately. Days spent doing random things not because we just feel like it but because whatever we had planned out did not quite work out. Sounds exciting, but when you're supposed to be getting things done and end up with nothing, it's no fun. Like the other week, we made plans of going to the National Museum to take advantage of the free entrance. We headed there and was greeted by a very long queu of people waiting to get inside. We stood in line for five minutes then decided to just come back another day even if we have to pay because Read More
I’m Sorry. I Forgive You.
There has been so much screaming, bickering and hair pulling between these two the last couple of days, way too much for my ears to take. It has been very difficult for me, of course, but I can just imagine how much worse it is for them, having to try to understand each other when it's already so difficult to properly express themselves, much less control their emotions. I do my best to keep them at peace with each other, which sometimes means having to keep them apart. But they always find themselves wanting to play together, so they do until the next squabble starts. I know these little Read More
K-Farr Dress Up Day!
Kayo and I are currently buried in different types of art projects. And this time, aside from just the usual art direction and brand development we do at Honeycomb, we find we're handling more and more event production that are centered in the arts, which allows us to work with many different creative people. In fact, we're currently gearing up for another city wide art event (keep posted!). After having experienced the first one (you can read about it here) and having witnessed how it works, we're looking towards a bigger, more epic and more organized art festival! Can't wait to meet this Read More
By the Hospital Bed
Last week was a tough time for our family. It was Saturday, 2am when we we had to rush Summer to the ER because of an alarmingly high fever. She undertook some tests which, later on, revealed that she had dengue. She had to be admitted right away and when I heard those words, all I could really say was "okay." The next few hours seemed to have progressed so swiftly. Next thing I knew, it was 7am, Summer had an IV on her and I was cuddling her to sleep in a cold hospital bed. Turns out, there's no aggressive way to defeat dengue. There's no cure for it. So we spent the time trying to get Read More
An Art Fiesta!
I think many of you parents who are reading this will agree when I say that celebrating a child's birthday represents another milestone reached, not only for the child but for the parents as well. Last month, my Summer turned four. Yes, FOUR! While it's hard for me to believe it has been that long, I also feel relieved that Kayo and I have made it this far at parenting. I'm not saying that we're experts or that we've done a perfect job but I'm thankful that we've managed to develop a strong relationship with our first born and that she's healthy, undoubtedly happy and astoundingly Read More
DIY Toys: The Workshop!
Yes, I'm finally holding a workshop! And it's going to be a fun and playful toy-making, arts and crafts session for parents and children! My daughters and I have become fond of making their own play things out of everyday discarded items at home. We've made several toys, decor for their room, even props and costumes. And aside from it being a creative expression for them (and me!), it's also a wonderful bonding experience every single time. Not only do they learn to put pieces together and make something out of nothing, they also get to learn and practice good values, such as Read More
DIY Toy: Cardboard Baby Doll Bed
Right after making Summer her cardboard pizza, she immediately thought of other toys to make, specifically a doll house. But the next day, she changed her mind and asked me to make a little bed for her baby doll instead. I said okay. She was excited and insistent. Next thing I know, I was cutting up another box and doing my best to turn it into a tiny bed! Materials I used are the following: Cardboard box, scissors, poster paint, felt sticker, fabric scraps, cardboard tube, washi tape, tongue depressors, glue gun, white glue and masking tape. I didn't take photos of the process but Read More
DIY Toy: Emma’s La Pomme Handsewn Soft Doll
While organizing the girls' closet one morning last week, I found a sew-it-yourself soft doll kit, still unopened. It was a Christmas gift to me and Emma last year from some of our good friends. I hadn't had a chance to work on it since we received it half a year ago, but on that morning, I found myself in the mood to sew so I decided to finally open it and make my daughter a soft doll. It's a simple stuffed doll that looks like a little pillow so it's actually very easy to make. Step by step instructions were included in the kit as well as all the basic materials necessary, such as the Read More
DIY Toy: Summer’s Cardboard Pizza
We usually bring home our groceries in cardboard boxes, so I always have an abundance of them. When we don't use them for throwing trash or storing things, I use them for various craft projects.Most of the time, I end up making Summer and Emma all sorts of cardboard toys. They never last long, maybe three weeks max, even shorter if Emma has her way with it, but it's a fun, inexpensive way to encourage creative and imaginative play at home. It's also a great way to teach them how to recycle and be resourceful. Even if they break after a few days, it wouldn't matter because they don't cost a Read More