Yup, here’s my latest. I’m not sure what to call it but I’m loving it coz it just keeps my creative juices flowing. There are times I wonder how I could keep up with lots of blogs and other projects. I think the trick that works for me is to be organized and also to allow myself to indulge in things I love.

Like when I ran out of things to blog, to write about, I simply stop and do some crocheting, cooking, I clean the house, I watch a really yucky soppy drama that gives me a lot of times to nitpick and laugh at, I download movies, I read a chapter on a book, I draw a lot and of course, hehe I go shopping.

And the latest in my line of hobbies: digital scrapbooking and making digi scrapbooking kits. How did come about? I started out with zero as in nil, cipher knowledge when it comes to graphic designing or even using the simplest of photo editing softwares. Then when I started a jewelry business I was forced to make a business card, then a banner. Then I started blogging, I had to make some more banners etc. The internet just has a wealth of resource to teach one if you want to learn. I ended up hopping from one tutorial to the next and trying it out and discovering different techniques.

I think the fun for me is discovering and learning new tricks as I go along. Then I found Artscow.com and got addicted to designing personalized knick knacks. I also saw their gallery of scrapbooking kits and I loved it.

So, I then experimented with making a scrap kit, one embellishment at a time. The first one I think is a bleh.. really. It took me two weeks to finish it and I thinks its a really simple one. Most of my kits I’ll be sharing for free and some for a minimal fee at ArtsCow..

Here’s my first ever kit: Dare to Be Vivid available at Artscow for free. So create personalized gifts with this kit =)

And the second, soon to be available in ArtsCow: Preppy Choco {FREE for limited time only}

I’m also ‘reviving’ my crafting blog – MyCraftingDen. I’ve got this for awhile as someplace to dump stuff I create. So expect some more freebies going that way.

What do you think? I’m loving doing this and I’ve been making this an hour or two each day and I must say its a great stress reliever. I totally forgot stuff I need to get away from for awhile..

A few days ago, I was not really getting into my writing/blogging mood. I was building some simple HTML websites for a friend and was also working on my sister’s business website. So, most of my blogs were running on scheduled posts. That happens sometimes that I seriously can’t come up with anything to write about plus there wasn’t any motivation at all hehe..

I was supposed to be updating this site, but all I could was stare at it. I guess I was in a pretty bad mood. But then, I hopped on my email and found a happy surprise there.

Remember a short tutorial I posted here about Adding a Contact Form to Your Blogger Blog? Some people think there’s not much use to it and it’s just a recipe for inviting spam. Thankfully, I don’t subscribe to those ideas. Having a contact form makes you – the blogger, a lot easier to reach, to get into business with.

I’ve mentioned I’ve gotten direct advertising offers through this, mostly on a monthly basis. But the offer I got from my email the other day takes the cake. Few of my sites got booked for a whole solid year! And did I mention these are just ‘blogspot’ blogs?

And another thing that makes me ecstatic is that, once each link was up, I was instantly paid for the whole year rental.. Here, check out my paypal screenshot. This is only for a single link in one of my PR3 blogs..(I’ve shaded all other transactions..)

Patience really has its rewards hehe…The best thing about this is that – its all earning the passive way!

Just wanna share this coz this is what I am currently obsessing on. I dunno what it’s called coz the brand name is written in Thai letters, I could only read the ‘Stick Biscuit’ part. But I really really love this!!! Small stick biscuits coated with sweet and spicy somethings, lol when I eat a pack of this I usually have a pitcher of cold water beside me.

You can buy it from the markets and small neighborhood stores. I think it has three flavors, but I like the one in red and orange packets. And I seriously hoard it, like when I go to the markets every week, I buy one huge pack containing about a dozen packs for just 8000 Riels or $2.

I kinda like eating this much better than eating lots of peanuts coz it gives me lots of acne too and always have me scrambling  to visit acnetreatmentsreview.net. But then again, I know this is still junk food, so I still eat in moderation..Call it my little junkie food indulgence for now..

Have you noticed I’m posting more frequently this past month as compared to last? Hmm, I’m in a pretty good mood to blog lol!  I still have tons to do outside of blogging but before I finish some document scanning for a web project, let me just share this ‘tribute’ to my Peluka sisters here in Phnom Penh.

What’s with Peluka Sisters? Well, were a group of Filipinas living in Phnom Penh. We all share similar interests like blogging {the main reason we got together kekeke}, coffee, girl talk, thrift shopping, travel, window shopping, losing weight, fashion, facebook, bazaars, business and so on. All of us are bloggers and from just reading each others blogs, we all decided, why not meet up for coffee and some girl talk? And the rest as they say is history and let’s just say ‘ we bond over lattes’..

Personally, I am so thankful for these ladies coz they are like an anchor amidst an ocean of homesickness one experiences when living in a foreign country and which occasionally engulfs me (haha! that’s me trying to be waxing lyrical and poetic ). Sure, I’ve got lots of other friends here, I also have my sister and my Khmer relatives but my Peluka sisters just make it a lot easier for me. Perhaps because, we have similar experiences and interests and we’ve come to lend each other support and sort of sounding boards for each one’s situations. I can easily talk to them about things I dare not broach with relatives.

At the very least, I can always look forward to meeting them once a week for some serious blabbing and coffee. Another bonding thing among us is that most of us are stay-at-home-moms but still enterprising enough to try out other means of earning while staying at home and caring for a family. We talk about businesses, ventures, and earning online a lot, so hehe no one can accuse us of just making idle chit chats.

As for the name, well I’m not revealing the reason behind that, coz ssshhh, it’s a private joke among us. But you have to agree, its quite catchy hehe..

Hmm, I was thinking instead of photos {sshh, truth is I was scared of the Peluka’s wrath in case I post an unflattering photo…}, why not avatars? So then, let me introduce the Peluka Sisters, and of course, I won’t let the opportunity get away so I’ll be describing each one.

Z with her dog –  I find her very nice and uber wacky. Her sense of humor is just infectious!  Hihi like virus! Kidding aside, I’ve been reading her blog since before I moved to Phnom Penh and I was pleasantly surprised when I met her.  She’s easy to get along with, no pretensions, and underneath those laugh out loud quips she makes, is a lady with lots and lots of wisdom to share.. And oh, she also has another moniker – Sreisaat. Go visit her blog. =)

J with her cutie son – Friendly, true and uber fashionable. I find her very pretty.{muffins, muffins!}. We have lots of things in common, like always trying to lose weight, though I need it more than her. She’s also creative, enterprising and confident. Just the person to go to when you need to have a dose of motivation. And of course, she blogs! Check out Mumsified and Josiet.

Cheerful with her pretty pretty daughter – the name suits her! Coz among all of us, she’s the most amiable. One of the nicest persons I know. She’s also your best example of Filipina beauty with that gorgeous tanned skin and long black hair. {muffins too..} She’s also my spa and salon buddy. And oh, if you’re into nail art, she’s the person to ask.. Visit her at PinayMum.

E aka Madam – the enterprising lady. She’s got her hands full with businesses here and there. The Peluka’s conscience/advisor/therapist. A go-getter, she’s someone you can’t just step on and not expect a fight back. She’s a constant whirlwind of activities and I am in serious awe at how she manages her time. PS. She also has a blog but she’s keeping it a secret. Makes me wonder, if she’s got some juicy stuff in there..

And of course, I’m saving the best for last – Me! Bwhahaha! I just had to make my own avatar lol! But why do I look like some geeky anime? To describe me – purple crazed, semi-lunatic, loves to tinker. Visit my other blog too – Lui-Bloggera!

On second thought, maybe I’ll be in similar trouble with the avatars? What do you think?

I did say I would spend the whole day just bumming around. Haha! I do deserve some R & R coz I’ve been pretty productive for the past week. Aside from my web projects, blogs updated, I also had a graphic design project. A good friend here in Phnom Penh was in need of a brochure/business card and it was my sister whose supposed to make it but schedules were just so conflicted and she’s so busy right now.

Anyway, I managed to make it hehe. I guess my obsessive tinkering with Photoshop has its rewards lol! I quite pleased coz even if I’ve tons to do I still managed to finish everything in a record time last night.

Having done everything I was supposed to do, I overslept this morning! Hmmm, it was heavenly!! Nowadays, I call that a luxury since most mornings I have to wake up early to prepare Chinkee’s packed lunch and then breakfast.

We had a really late lunch in Sovanna Mall, then Chinks had her fun playground time, then I went off to the supermarket to look for some acne skin care products coz I have a huge yucky zit on my chin and I accidentally scraped it last night and it bled. I ended up buying facial masks, a moisturizer and a toner.

We went to Russian Market afterwards to look for another school bag for Chinks. She’s at the stage now where she’d like to have her bag match her outfits. Duh? I just wonder how fashionista she’ll be when she’s in her teens. In any case, I bought her a pink body bag and thank God for bargains, got it for only $10.

We then have iced coffee, still in Russian Market then bought a couple of DVD’s to watch tomorrow then set off home. This evening I had my own home spa, hehe pampering thingie. Face steaming with orange for 10 minutes, then I applied a lemon peel mask on my face, the moisturizer. Hmmm, I just love days like these..

** updated: added photos..

Here’s another one of my ‘living in Phnom Penh‘ blurbs. Were now in the middle of September and I’m feeling a blue. For a lot of reasons! And since this is my blog, I’m just about to bore you with details of my boredom which I know,  you don’t really want to know.. Lol! So what!  I just really wanna get on, write my feelings, then later I’ll take a long bath, cut my toenails, make a momentous decision to keep or not to keep my toe nail cuticles, and perhaps I’ll pack on some msm cream or maybe get a face mask, and I know I’ll feel so much better.

So why so blue? One reason is all about Hi-ace. I wrote about it already a few posts ago, so just click here, here and here to see what I mean.  What’s making this thing doubly sad is that we’ll be celebrating our 8th wedding anniversary next week and he’s not here. He’ll be with me in thoughts, he says. Anyway,  I was a bit mollified when two days ago, he sent me something. I know from the date on the package say it was sent August 30th (so wohoo I know he’s been thinking ahead) plus it has a little note that says: “For My Beautiful Wife. On our anniversary and always, I love you and cherish the life we share. ” Now, who wouldn’t melt with that?!  I just wish he’s here even if for a day..

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During the weekend, Chinks had Global Art classes, it was for two hours so Ouwie and I went to have a little coffee and pastries in Gloria Jeans then we took a leisurely walk along Norodom Blvd. before picking up Chinks. Then we went on to bring Chinks to a hairstylist so she could get a haircut.

I have photos of this I’ll update this post soon as I can transfer it from my phone. Anyway, this made me want to do my hair too, but maybe some other time. I wanna have it cut and then I”ll have it perma straightened again but that’ll cost a bit so I’m holding out for awhile.

** Here are the snapshots of Chinks getting her haircut. And this is how she really is everytime she’s in front of the mirror: she likes making faces.. I didn’t get to take a photo of her new haircut coz she refused =) she said ‘next time Mommy”.. But she now resembles a siopao but a very cute one!