Shopping

Updating My Wedding Set: Pt. 2

by Leave a Comment

As I’ve mentioned a blog ago, I’ve decided to update my wedding set because I’ve come across issues with the e-ring’s setting – among other thangs. The first two of the rings were already done and you can check out the deets here. My half-eternity ring has also gone through a transformation but it was a different project because the resetting did take more work.

Here’s how my old eternity ring looked like.

 

My issues with the ring are quite minimal although they did bother me a bit. For one thing, the ring no longer fits so it has to be resized. Also, the gems are very tiny.

Money was tight during the wedding preps and I gotta admit, we didn’t spend as much money on the wedding bands as we should’ve. If I could do things differently, I would do more research and compared rates as opposed to sticking to the same jeweler who did our e-ring. I love my set, don’t get me wrong, but I wish we spent more time looking for alternatives so I don’t have to re-set the rings at all.

Here is the inspiration behind the design:

Here is my recreated eternity ring:

Now for the details: the sapphires used were 4x3mm midnight blue sapphire ovals. These sapphires were part of my stocks and since they’re not getting the love they deserve, I decided to use them instead.

The diamonds are 2mm in size, white VS clarity. The gems are cradled by claw-style prongs. My plan is to wear the ring only when I’m out and about because the prongs are very sharp and I don’t want to scratch the kids with these.

The ring was re-set by Palamuti Jewelry Couture. All I did was shipped the ring together with the sapphires and the jeweler did the rest. They also provided the diamonds for the eternity ring. The process itself is very seamless and organized – something that I appreciate.

It took several weeks to complete the project mostly because that’s their average lead time + it’s the holiday season. The timeline did work in my favor because I had several ring projects before this one and I wasn’t pissing myself silly waiting for a ring. I had several new ones to keep my mind off the waiting, is what I’m trying to say!

I had this one made in rose gold just because I only had one rose gold in my collection and sadly, the main gem has popped out. I’ll turn that one into a tanzanite eye-candy real soon. I just need to complete all my projects before moving forward with new ones.

Here is the new wedding ring worn with my plain wedding band. They look SO GOOD together guys. I am ecstatic!

My next project is a Diana ring, which is a sapphire oval in a starburst setting (diamond halo). At the moment, the ring is being made and I am beside myself with excitement.

 

2021 is going great for me so far, what about you?

Updating My Wedding Set: Pt. 1

by Leave a Comment

Instead of investing in a bag this year, I decided to grow my jewelry collection, starting with my nearest and dearest: the wedding set.

I haven’t worn my wedding set for the past 3 to 4 years. My ring size has grown considerably and after pregnancy, fuggedaboutit. So yeah, my rings were gathering dust in my jewelry box until my cousin and I started talking about jewelry.

The reason why I wasn’t resizing my set is that I wanted to preserve their original setting. But the thing is, I am no longer enjoying my set because they no longer fit me. On top of that, my engagement ring’s delicate prongs are so loose, the diamond started moving around. I was terrified of wearing my e-ring, the gem might pop out!

The Update

Long story short, I finally decided to update my set. I have three rings in the set and each one has its own issues.

Engagement Ring: The e-ring has loose prongs, delicate structure, and a small size. The plan was to create a more durable structure + thicker prongs to cradle the diamond. Has to be done in yellow gold as well because I don’t want to maintain the white gold plating anymore.

Plain Wedding Band: My plain wedding band has to be resized and then done in yellow gold to match the e-ring and the other wedding band (will be done in Rose Gold).

I have commissioned two jewelers for the project. The e-ring and plain wedding band were done by The Family Band, an IG-based jewelry store while the eternity ring was created by Palamuti Jewelry Couture – another IG-based jeweler. Between the two, the former is newer and the latter is very popular among my clients.

My e-ring and wedding band were completed first. I loved the super quick turnaround time. Both rings were done and shipped in less than 2 days.

Review

I love the more durable construction. The band and prongs of the e-ring are thicker so they are less likely to sustain damage from everyday wear and tear.

I thought I’d hate the look of 14K gold on me because my skin tone suits 18K gold better but not so bad at all. I’m currently wearing my plain wedding band with a 5-diamond ring that the hubs gifted me several anniversaries ago. On my right hand is my rainbow sapphire eternity ring, which I got as a push gift for our second son.

Overall, I am loving my refreshed wedding band and e-ring. The e-ring, I won’t wear as much because I’m taking care of the kids most times. But the plain band is getting a lot of wear these days! I highly recommend The Family Band and I have plans of getting one of their signature ring, which is aptly named, the family band, hahaha!

As for the eternity ring, this project will take a while to complete because of several delays. Not the jeweler’s fault but my own!

I had issues sourcing the diamonds. My initial plan was to source champagne diamonds for the ring. Unfortunately, there were delivery problems with the supplier. Eventually, I had no choice but to cancel the order and pretty much wasted two weeks waiting for the champagne diamonds to arrive.

I decided to get the diamonds na lang from the jeweler. They will use white diamonds, to my utter disappointment, but better than nothing.

I’ll write a review soon!

A Belated Push Gift: From Me to Me!

by Leave a Comment

Oh hey! I’m back buying jewelry pieces online hahaha! As you know, my husband got me a push gift when I had our first son. Thanks to COVID-19 and its soul-crushing uncertainty, my husband was unable to get me a push gift for our second… for now!

I guess it’s up to me to get myself something nice for bringing another life into this bleak world, right? And you know there is nothing more I love than getting myself a gift. So yes, here it is, I finally got myself a new ring! Behold:

The gems are genuine sapphires, about 5mm each in size. I had these sources specifically for this ring. As for the jeweler, I had this customized by Gawa Alahas, an Instagram-based jewelry shop based in Bulacan.

I chose this shop because the price is reasonable and the craftsmanship is fantastique. I had the ring done in yellow gold because I noticed that most of my rings are done in white gold. Most of the sapphires in the set are in warm reds, yellows, and oranges so I went with something complementing instead of contrasting if that makes sense.

I’ve always wanted a proper eternity ring – unapologetically chunky, full eternity, and eye-catching. I’ve had my heart set on rainbow sapphires for a while now but because we’ve recently opened a new biz and the pandemic thang, this project was set back several times. I was planning on getting this a few days before I gave birth but I decided to delay it until after the holidays.

Overall, I like the new ring. I feel that the gold is very thick, it doesn’t feel flimsy at all. I love that the prongs are holding each gem as opposed to a shared prong style. The gems are more secure this way. It does take a while to get used to wearing a chunky eternity ring just because it’s quite thick. And the gems go all the way so it’s not as comfortable as a half eternity band, but hey, not complaining at all!

I still have three other ring projects in the work, two of which involve my wedding set. I will write a different review because they were updated by different jewelers!

Investing in Better Sleep

by Leave a Comment

Since malls remain semi-closed and I can’t travel anywhere, I do my shopping online. And the problem with online shopping is it’s so habit-forming. Every day since this God-forsaken health crisis started, we get a new package from the trinity: Lazada, Shoppee, SM. Yes, it’s a mini-crisis on its own, hahaha!

Anyhoo, one of the things that I wanted to improve while I was pregnant was our bedroom essentials. Our sheets are fraying and our pillows aren’t as nice as before. Our blankets are too thin pa and the designs are meh. I decided to slowly change all of our sleep essentials just to elevate our sleeping experience.

I bought several sets of bedsheets at Bedsheet Master PH. I then bought those “hotel” quality pillows from Gourdo’s online store. Then, I bought heaps of plain white pillowcases on Shoppee. Finally, I bought several thick, fleece blankets at SM. Now all our bedsheets match and I get the best sleep of my life.

In case you’re in the mood to shop, here are the relevant links:

Worth every cent guys. Don’t skimp on sleep.

What the Heck is a Beauty Fridge (and Why You NEED One Right Now)

by 2 Comments

Let’s talk about something totally frivolous but surprisingly useful: a beauty fridge. Also known as a cosmetics fridge, a kikay fridge, a car fridge, or a skincare fridge, a beauty fridge is exactly that: it’s a small fridge for your skincare products.

My dwindling passion for self-care was all fired up once again after trying out this really good Japanese toner, which I will review very soon. This led to me, going on a shopping spree, for more beauty products because, you know, why not.

As I was going through product after product, I realized that skincare products feel nicer when they cool the skin. This isn’t a unique idea at all, in fact, I know most beauty junkies store their skincare products in the fridge.

But I thought, I know some Asian beauty junkies use an actual mini fridge for their skincare products and perhaps, I should get one too. For, you know, research. What followed was a fervent, two-hour e-window shopping on Lazada looking for the most perfect skincare fridge and when I found ~THE ONE~, I shamelessly asked my husband to get it for me.

[Thank you to my dashing benefactor for giving me all the useless, most ridiculous things that I ask for]

Two days later, my beauty fridge came, behold:

I chose the white one because I’ve plans of filling the door with stickers. The stickers are taking too long to arrive but whatever. I ordered this from Lazada via Latest Gadget and honestly, this is the same model that some insta stores are selling but is much, much cheaper from this store. There are even cheaper ones but I chose this model because the side door has a tiny shelf for more beauty stuff. See?

Setting up this baby is easy because it’s essentially a plug and play device but it does have a cooling/heating option so you have to choose the right setting first.

Once plugged in, it works quietly, I couldn’t even hear it humming. This beauty fridge comes with a removable horizontal divider but I took it off because some of my skincare products are tall. Filled it with stuff and waited for the mini-fridge to do its magic (the orange bottle is the toner I was talking about!)

Don’t expect the mini-fridge to be freezing cold though. It won’t produce ice at all. On the manual, it says that this is more of a cooler than a mini-fridge and I agree, it will just leave your stuff cool to the touch. I love how it cools my toners, the application feels so nice and refreshing.

The body of the mini-fridge itself is made from hard, durable plastic.  It’s not gonna survive WWIII but I think it’s durable enough to withstand a few bumps. There is a handle at the top of the mini-fridge so you can tote this baby around like the badass that you are, lol It also comes with two types of electric cords, one for home use and another for car use.

The white mini-fridges are currently sold out but the pink ones are still available in case you’d like to score a beauty fridge [NOT A SPONSORED POST, just helping a sister out]. So ya, I suggest you get one. It’s not expensive at all. I know cooling your skincare products won’t extend the shelf life of the products but it does make application even more pleasant.

BTW, My website is in the midst of a migration process so not sure if everything’s showing right.

Reveal and Review: The Balenciaga Bazar Shopper

by Leave a Comment

As promised, here is a review of the Balenciaga Bazar Shopper. I’ve been wearing the bag frequently and I am enjoying the experience.

The Bag: Balenciaga Bazar Shopper XS

The Balenciaga Bazar Shopper tote was launched in 2016 for the house’s Fall/Winter collection and it certainly perplexed fashionistas because of the inspiration behind the design: Thailand’s ubiquitous sampeng bag. It’s literally inspired by a market bag, guys.

This bag comes in so many colorways, most of which are quite colorful. I’m not into colorful bags at the moment so I had my eye on the color and black combo. Since that’s nowhere to be found, I opted for the sky blue and gray combo, close enough.

My bag comes in XS aka the Mini size. I believe the bazar shopper comes in five sizes – but don’t quote me on that – the XXS, XS, Small, Medium, and Large. I usually don’t like bags that stand too tall and since the Bazar’s lambskin material softens over time, the larger sizes lose their structure even more. The XS is more structured so it doesn’t lose its shape.

Also, the small size is too big for me. I’ve been wearing mini bags as of late and the small is too dang clunky to wear, I can imagine.  I also don’t like the way the top slouches when you put a lot of stuff in the bag so I opted for the cuter size.

The Quality

The inspiration behind the Balenciaga Bazar is a cheap market bag and I feel that the design reflects that. No, the bag does not look cheap but it emulates that aesthetic if that makes sense.

For starters, high-end designer bags tend to have tone-on-tone stitching. That’s not the case with the Bazar, the stitching is white against the black leather trims and the white thread stands out  – a little too starkly, to be honest. That’s part of the look.

The stitches are also fewer than the usual, just 4 stitches per inch, which is supposed to “mimic the inexpensive craftsmanship that you would find in a traditional market bag.” That’s not to say that the bag isn’t durable. The seams are reinforced so the cheapened appearance is just that, for appearance.

The Bazar is crafted from supple lambskin, which might’ve been treated to achieve its somewhat glossy, crinkly finish. This is the first time that I’ve touched lambskin leather and it feels so nice. I sort of understand the hype over lambskin Chanel classic flap now. The material is thinner than any of my calfskin leather bags for obvious reasons but the lambskin reduced the weight of the bag. It’s so fucking lightweight.

The striped leathers were stitched together to create the “body” of the bag, which also adds to the durability of the purse. As far as the quality goes, the Bazar is one sturdy bag.

The Details

The bazar has palladium hardware. As much as I love gold hardware, I think the silver hardware looks better in this particular colorway. I like the quality of the leather, it does feel durable but is so freakin’ lightweight. All of my bags with the exception of this one are all made from calfskin. The bigger ones can be hella heavy at times. No such problem with the Bazar XS.

I love the strap, the length is just right. I can wear it as a crossbody or shoulder bag and the Bazar does not look awkward at all.

Although light, the strips of leather are actually reinforced – especially the bottom! The Balenciaga Bazar has two zippers, which I thought was a great touch. The zips do not glide as smoothly as I would like, however, but that’s just a minor thing, not a deal-breaker at all.

This is the third mini bag in my collection and honestly, there is nothing mini about it. It’s a sizable bag for sure. It fits my makeup pouch, my continental wallet, key holder, wet wipes, and even my foldable umbrella.

Even when filled to the brim, the Balenciaga Bazar still has room for more on either side of the interior. Both sides have size pockets for more stuff, one’s an open pocket and the other one’s a zipped pocket. If you love the look of mini bags but you’re not used to the cramped space, you will definitely love the Bazar!

The Cons

The hardware feels light. It’s not flimsy at all, don’t get me wrong, just light. I’m so used to my other bags having hefty hardware, I guess. Also, I feel that the top part of the bag that zips up will soften and deform at some point. The extra flaps get in the way when I get my stuff in and out and if I use the bag often, these parts will be the first to deform.

Mod Shots

Final Thoughts

In all honesty, this is one of the best bags I’ve purchased. Don’t let the size fool you, the Balenciaga Bazar is one roomy tote. It’s stylish with a classic shape, the color combination is sooo cool, and it makes any outfit pop. Even when full, the Bazar mini is able to hold its shape, something that’s not possible with its bigger siblings. I favor structured bags and the bigger Bazars are definitely slouchy so I feel that I got the perfect size.