Ube jam's love story

It's been a while since I needle felted, that's 2 months of abstinence from needle felting! My hands are rusty...
Anyways here's for your consumption.

It's my first time to make um what do you call this? Diorama??

For the future physician board examiners

For the future physician board examiners, do what you want to do while reviewing for the boards. Go abroad, watch your favorite movie. Because after boards and you plan to apply residency, especially in private hospitals, you won't have time anymore, you'll end up not doing what you planned to do. Unless you'll take a year off.

So depressed.. I can't go out of the country for a few days to enjoy!

Coloring on Canvas Bag

My mom gave me blank canvas bags =D. At first, I don't know what to do with it.  At first I thought of needle felting embroidery into it, but I'm kind of scared since the fabric is hard, my felting needle might break.

As I was searching through the internet, I discovered Pentel Fabric Fun Dye sticks, & what's even better is that it's available here in the Philippines!!!  So I searched to several branches of National bookstore & bought one.  Then I thought what will I draw? I'm not good at drawing that's for sure, it not one of my talents.

Anyways, I'm running out of time, my pre-residency is about to start, so I have to make something, or I won't be able to make crafts again for another whole year.

So I thought, what would be my favorite quote? One of my favorites is "keep moving forward" from Meet the Robinsons.  So I thought I'd make that.

I soooo muuucchh looovvveee iiiiittttt!!!!!!!!

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How I passed the Physician Board Examinations part 2

Applying to PRC:

• long brown envelope, long plastic envelope
• black ballpen
• money
• form requirements: transcript, certificate of internship etc, the ones listed in the guide I posted in part 1.
• Have photocopies of your forms & documents
• While at home, register yourself to prc website, there's a form there where you'll put in all your details, name, address, etc etc. Don't bother printing the sample form in the prc website, you don't need it. That way, mas mabilis to register when you get to prc, because it's faster since you've input all your details already
• passport size pictures w/ your name
• don't bring pencils, you don't need it
• Buy the metered stamps & the envelopes AT PRC. NEVER BUY ANYTHING FROM THE VENDORS OUTSIDE, those envelopes are fake, you'll just end up buying another during the exam day.

1 day before the exam:

• Relax. Don't study, it won't be effective anyways
• At night, you won't be able to sleep well because you're nervous, try to get some rest anyways.
• Know which building of your assigned school you'll be taking your exam.
• Decide how you'll go there, makikisabay ba? pano mag commute, etc.

On the 1st Exam day:

• Don't chicken out, come in & take the exam.
• Come in before 6:30 am
• Bring light meals, like sandwich, don't bring rice & ulam (mahirap na kapag matae ka pa while taking the board exams), water, candies
• Bring paracetamol or any NSAID, you might have a headache due to lack of sleep, agitation, & the test itself
• Bring black ballpen, your pencils, eraser, sharpener, black pentel pen, 1 long brown envelope, 1 long plastic envelope, exam permit
• For girls, it's ok to bring a bag to put your valuables like celfones etc, there'll be a place in the room to put your handbags.
• It's nice also to bring samplex or topnotch reviewer pearls for cramming, use the 1 hour break to cram.
• NEVER EVER ATTEMPT to CHEAT

By the end of each exam day this is what you'll feel like:

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How I Passed the Philippine Physician Board Exam Part 1

I just saw my name on the PRC List of successful examinees of Philippine Physician Board Examination. Soooo happy!!! Words can't fully describe what I am feeling right now.

Anyways as I've told myself, I'll write a blog on tips to pass the board exams.  This post is only about how to   PASS, if you wish to top the boards, then I don't think this post is of much help. hehe

I'll just share to you what I did in my review.

First of all, I'll introduce myself, I'm a proud UST graduate.  Both BS Biology & Medicine, I also took up internship at UST.  So I'm 100% UST product.  So I think fellow thomasian doctors/med students will be of most benefit for this post (in my opinion only).

As advised by mentors, you should be studying during your rotations in the hospital.  Well, I didn't do that, because by the time I get home, I'm tired & I sleep.  The only rotation I was able to study was Family Medicine, I think I was able to read 3 chapters of anatomy (Baby snell) & 3 chapters of OB gyne (blueprints).

At the end of internship, this is what I felt, "tapos na! now what?" Should I study? But but... I just finished.. can't I rest? Tatamarin ka talaga. haha.

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How to fix Broken Felting Needle

One of a needle-felter's greates frustration is the felting needle snapping while doing your work.  I've broken a lot of felting needles already, & everytime, it just hurts me whenever I broke a needle.  And to think that needle felting materials are not available in the Philippines, just adds to the emotions since I have to go abroad or order online from another country just to get some felting needles. 

Today, I just broke my felting needle while doing a commissioned work.  I just got fed up already.  So I thought of a way what to do with the broken felting needle.

Here's a picture of my broken felting needle. Grrr... :(

I think you could use some bakeable glue to make a stronger hold of the needle, I didn't use in this tutorial since I don't have any at the moment. =D

Hope this tutorial will solve our problem =D

Hot Air Balloon Lantern

My mom & I went to Divisoria, to buy some fabric for my dad's coat & tie.  Always a lot of people in Divisoria regardless whether weekdays or weekends.  But more people on weekends.  We went into a store selling party goodies, then I saw this:

I couldn't resist buying one for myself! =D When I got home, I showed it to my dad, he was very happy with it in fact, he asked that when we get back to Divisoria to buy a few more.  I think he'll use it to decorate around the house this christmas.

The drawback on this lantern is that it's made of paper, Paper lanterns don't last that long & you can use it on covered rooms/areas since it wouldn't be able to withstand the rain. I wish I know some electronics or something, i sure would want to have a light bulb inside this lantern.

Mom's Jade Necklace

Today, for no apparent reason, I made a jade necklace for my mom, maybe I just wanted to thank her for taking care of me.

How does Physician Board Exam feels like?

After 3 months of studying, you've come to face the Board Exams, you just hope that you remember what you have studied during the examination.

The night before your exam, you couldn't sleep well, you have palpitations, OMG, This is it!

On the day of your exam, you got to meet some of your med classmates, "Hey how are you?!" "Grabe! Kinakabahan na ako!"

Then comes the questionnaire & answer sheet to you, while answering, "Oh no, I don't know this questtio, then you move to another question, then you don't know again, then you move to another question, wa... then you realized, you just keep moving on & there's already 1 whole page without answers, then you'll procced until 3 pages without answers, then you think, oh no..."

By the end of the exam, "Grabe! ang hirap nun!" Babagsak na ata ako

Then after the break, you get to the 2nd & 3rd exam with the same feeling every after exam.

By the end of the day, you feel really tired  & defeated, depressed, disappointed as you discover some of the questions' correct answer...

By next day, you wake up again, stand up, it's a new day, let's do this!

By the end of all exams, what you can only do is wait.... & pray... hope I at least past the difficult exam...

Craft of the Day: Tape Labels Tutorial

My dad asked me to record his songs into usb flashdrives, separating the english songs from the chinese songs.  I recently gave him a gadget where he can play use usb flashdrives to play music in his car.  He was very fascinated by it =D

Anyways, I bought him 2 new usb flashdrives for his consumption.  They both look the same, so it'll just be proper to label each of the flashdrives.  I thought of making labels using washi tapes.  But I don't have washi tapes right now, & as my challenge I'm not supposed to buy new craft materials, only use materials I currently have at home.

Today I'll be showing you how I made these tape labels, improvising, making my own "washi" tape.

Materials you'll need for this project are: 

• Scissors, 
• old notepad or any decorative paper, 
• double-sided tape
• scotch tape.

First, you'll choose which part of the notepad you'd want to incorporate into your labels, I chose the dotted  border on the sides of this used notepad.

Turn the paper, wrong side up.  Then get your double sided tape & run across the back of the design of the paper you chose. Then cut the double sided tape.  Cut the excess paper. 

Write your label on the right side.  Put scotch tape on top to protect the ink. Cut to desired size & place it on you usb =D

til next tutorial =D

Donating Everything in my Piggybank

It all started with my this year's new year's resolution.  I told myself, that I'll be donating some of the proceeds to UST St. Cosmas & Damian to help the patients in their hospital bill.

But then, this tragedy came to the Philippines, heavy floods destroying millions of houses & claiming several lives.  So I thought.. even if the year hasn't ended yet, I think this will be an ideal time to give donations from my piggybank.

It took me several days to contemplate for this donation, the money in this piggybank is the money I got from selling some of my works.  It truly is hard earned money.

I looked inside, not much, I counted the money, a total of P3950.  This is all I got since Jan 2012?

So I went to get a legal size white envelope, used the stamps I bought online, & some colored pens. Something very simple, because I have to go to school within 30 minutes.

Then I was staring at the envelope, wrote the quotation, "art in saving lives" since this money, is from craft, from art, & I'll be donating them to save lives.

As I put the seal of the envelope, suddenly all my craft experiences to get this amount of money flashed back in my face, there's this time when I had to get an antitetanus shot since I accidentally cut myself with my scissors because the wound was deep, the times when I was needle felting & I could just hear myself, "OUCH!" because I accidentally pricked myself, so literally, blood was shed to get that money.

I'm no angel, here I was, with all of my earnings, from hard work, & my blood.  I will be donating 100% of it to charity.  Some part of me, doesn't want to let go of the money, it's like it's part of you. Without it, I won't be able to buy to materials to fund my work.

With all this view of events coming to me, I cried... It's like parting a part of you, my craft soul was begging, "Please... how can we work? how can we make pretty things if we don't have money?"

As I was putting my final seal, I was crying, ganito pala kahirap to... it's different, if you're donating, your savings from what your parents gave you, it's harder to give it when it all came from you,  yun pinaghirapan mo talaga, hindi pinaghirapan ng parents mo.

Now I'm craft broke, none left in my piggy bank for crafting... You might think it's insignificant, but for me, it meant a lot, I cried...

I felt my guardian angel hugged me, saying, "You did the right thing, I'm so proud to both of you..."

As I went to church, I handed Ron, our internship president the donation envelope.  He said, thank you, I'll be giving this to Medicine Student Council.  I said, "Ok." I then said a little prayer, "God, kayo na po bahala sa pera, I know hindi Niyo yun pababayaan."

Feathered Headband

Yesterday was one of those days, when I woke up & all I want to do is craft.  My craft soul is screaming, "if I can't get hold of a glue gun today, I'll die!!!!" hehe.  I really didn't care if my craft project would be nice or not, would be functional or not, all I care a bout is to do a project using a glue gun. =D

So I got all my materials.

& here's my Finsihed product

When worn:

til next crafting =D

Batman Undies Stethoscope tag

I was looking through amazon when I saw this:

I think it was around $6.00+, hm.. first of all, I'm not in USA, so I can't buy this, 2nd have this ship here in the Philippines won't be practical since it's just $6 & the tax will be more expensive than the item itself.

So after staring at it, I thought I'd make one myself.  It's like I'm getting the P.S. I made this motto: I see it, I like it, I make it.

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One Bite Iphone Case

I've been crazy with needle felt embroidery this past few days, it started with the Matryoshka iphone case, now I've created a new one!!! With more embroidery!!

This is what I called vector-to-needle felt embroidery! Inspired by vector art of Jerrod Maruyama, turned into needle felt embroidery!

I'm not that of a fan of snow white, comparing to other disney princesses, but when I saw Jerrod's work, I just couldn't stop myself from embroidering it.

I getting crazy with this technique! I wanna do another one!!!!!

Listen to your Body

Being in the field of health, we healthcare providers tend to forget this simple rule that we always advise our patients: LISTEN TO YOUR BODY.

When it comes to health, I don't believe in: NO PAIN, NO GAIN.

Pain is not your enemy, it's your body's way of saying that something is wrong, or that it's already too much, we need time to rest & to recharge.

We healthcare providers, tend to forget this since our patients need us, but we should not forget also the signals that our own body is telling us, since we can't help our patients if we ourselves are sick.

Just been reminded of this, I had a sever headache, but I have so many things to study yet, for the board exams, my mom forced me to rest, have a nap, I did, the whole afternoon, now that the pain is gone, with the help of rest + pain meds, I have to catch up for what I missed. =D

Matryoshka Iphone Case

This is my first time to try needle felting embroidery (I think that's what the technique is called), I so love the results!!!!

Book type iphone case for Iphone 3gs

What happened to the old fashioned Pringles?

Pringles today are sacred here in the Philippines.  Well, since some supermarkets are selling those new pringles, they're thicker, smaller, & tastes like crap.  I'm not sure which country reproduced them, please stop! The problem is, sometimes it's hard to tell the difference between the USA Pringles & these new Pringles.

To give you an idea on how to tell the difference, here's a link to a post

USA Pringles please come back...

Current supermarkets with USA Pringles:

S&R

Trinoma Landmark Supermarket

Doctors are Creative too

I believe that every doctor has a sense of creativity in themselves.  After all Healing people is art & craftmanship.  Don't believe me? Imagine a person who had skin cancer & the tumor has to be removed, leaving a creater in your face.  Only the doctors will be able to repair it in such a way that you look like a normal person.  Here's just one example:

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Storing your Wool Roving

My wool are calling to me, "Hey we miss you!" I think it's time to give them some loving again, I have to make a needlefelt project soon =D

I would like to share how I store my wool rovings.  I like buying those wool rovings that comes in packs with a combination of colors, more of like a trial pack, each containing 1 lb of wool roving per color.  I also have those that I bought with 2lbs.  I thought of how I can store them in a way I could see the colors at the same time. 

I got myself a bead organizer =D I bought this from my local bead store.

Don't worry my wool rovings, we will be together again soon.

Hot Air Balloon Challenge

Today, I'm launching a challenge to myself, along with creating with materials I already have here & not to buy any new materials.

This is my personal challenge, but of course anyone can join in the fun of creating =D.  Just post links to your work/s here =D

Creating with what I have

This month, I won't be able to go to Quiapo to buy materials for my craft projects, so I think I'll challenge myself to work with what I have, old beads, felt fabric, wool roving, etc...

I think I'm kind of excited...  Thinking of new designs from my old stash. =D

My Monster Pet shop - Transmutator Experiment

With the new upgrade of my favorite game app in iphone: Monster Pet Shop, there were new featurres such as the transmutator, new backgrounds & giveing baths for your monsters, etc.

With the new transmutator, I decided to have a little experiment to see how fast will your monster grow if you use it, since you need 10 monster berries to buy it in the first place.  So here's what I did.  

I hatched 2 Skinny krakels at the same time.  

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Craft of the Day: Iced Coffee

Good morning sunday everyone! I saw a can of whipped cream at home, so I figured why not start the day with homemade iced coffee =D

It tasted good with the starbucks frapp caramel alone with ice, but it tasted better when I mixed the whipped cream.  I don't have chocolate syrup so I just sprinkled some Ovaltine powdered drink on top as garnish hehe.

Good morning everyone!

Craft of the Day: Egg Salad Sandwich

I was switching channels when I came across, Everyday Food from Lifestyle Network yesterday.  This is the first time I've watched this so I took it a shot.  I honestly don't know how to cook.  In fact, I'm scared of frying, because of the hot oil splatters.  Anyways, this morning I woke up early, 4:30 am, & since I couldn't go back to sleep, I guess I can make myself a breakfast.

The particular food that caught my eye is when they said that you can make the perfect hard boiled egg. The show made the perfect hard boiled egg & made an egg salad.

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Digital Scrapbook: Lucky Me

Obviously, my brain refuses to suck in any additional information in studying for the board exams.  So I thought of doing a scrapbook page... (Didn't see the connection either hahahaha).  I'm dedicating this page to my mentor in IM internship rotation.  Dr. Cuenza =D

Craft of the Day: 7/13/12

I wish him all the best in his fellowship!

Page made with Adobe Illustrator & Adobe Photoshop CS4

Marshmallows for Sore Throat

I really love marshmallows, who doesn't.  As I was browsing Pinterest, I cam accross that marshmallow can be used as remedy for sore throat!

I couldn't believe it myself actually, so I googled it. I came across this article: Sore throat? Have a marshmallow & Organic Foodie: Marshmallow.  It looks promising right?? hahahaha.  I've got to try this myself if I have a sore throat & I'll let you guys know if it worked for me. =D

Drawing onto Computer Screen

I saw this episode on Listed, regarding animation, & I was so much fascinated that you can now draw right onto your computer screen! Isn't it amazing?!

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Craft of the Day (7/13/12): New look!

I've been wanting to change my layout for a while, but since I'm busy, didn't have the time.  Anyways I tried to make my layout as simple as possible.  Well.. so it's easier to edit! I don't have time to study & understand the codes of blogger yet as I did in Multiply themes.

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Calling HS self

I think I have to level up in my studying for the board exams... I have to call on my HS self to help me out in studying for the Boards.

Present self: "HS self, please help me in studying for the Board Exam"
HS self: "OK, first let's meditate... have your goal in mind..."
Prsent self:
HS self: "When you're ready, let's start."
Prsent self: "Ok."

Microbiology most commons

To my fellow interns who will take the Philippine Medicine Licensure Exams this August, Dr. Borromeo gave me these microbiology most commons that he made.  Sabi niya he gave it to the secretary suring the review, parang wala kasi ako natanggap na copy.  So I told him wala po naibigay, so he gave me his soft copy, sabi niya, distribute ko daw.  So I'm using this blog to spread this.  But I will be deleting these files after the board exams in his respect.

Download these:

Microbiologic Classics

Words to Live by in Microbiology

Good luck to our Board Exams!!! Hope all Thomasians pass!!

Bijou Strap through the change of times

I decided today to  give my bijou watch another look to accommodate the new trends & demands of the present.

This is the very first bijou watch I made in 2009:

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Cherry Blossoms Envelope Tutorial

I'm so not in the mood to study, so I figured to make a tutorial instead! I was searching through google to look for how to draw cherry blossoms, didn't find any tutorial simple for my simple mind haha.  So I decided I make my own cherry blossoms.  Since I'm not very good in drawing, I just used basic shapes: HEARTS!

Hope you like my tutorial.  Comments very much appreciated =D

Enjoy!

Back to Basics - Color Pencils

As I was  looking through my cabinet, I came across this:

My old color pencils, way back when I was still in grade school.

Then I realized, I miss coloring with color pencils.... So I thought of playing with them.

Isn't this great?! I used a rubber stamp to stamp the bird image.  Then I took my color pencils to color some details.  Then I took my ordinary pentel pens &  ordinary colored ballpens for the minor details.  I love the results!

Doing something pretty out of ordinary school materials & using your old color pencils, you used when you were a child, brings back a lot of memories.  Feeling nostalgic already!

Ipod shuffle watch strap

I'm naming this project as: Music in your soul.  Remember the earlier bijou strap I made for my ipod shuffle?

I've used it for trial for I think less than 1 month, so in my next design of my bijou strap, I added a new feature, an earphone winder.  That way, you can safely atore your earphones when not in use & still wear your ipod shuffle with great pride w/o worrying where to put your earphones.

This is my new design:

With incredibly great features:

I'm so excited to make another one.  I think I'm getting addicted to felt crafts again!

Secret cupcakes by fairies

This collection's inspiration is one of my favorite Disney movie films.  The Tinkerbell series!  Superb movie! Not too childish with outstanding cg effects.

 Each cupcake is purely made out of tender, loving care.  With Swarovski rhinestones from Austria & swarovski crystals.  Cupcake woolcandies are unique personally handmade by me, carefully made into a necklace.  Visit Maiden Circuits for more details.

Craft of the Day: Thank you Envelopes

Thinking of ways to be more environmentally friendly, I tried to spice up these envelopes to be used as my packaging:

They're great for storing your jewelry!

Cross-stitched iphone case

As I was browsing through the web, I cam across this:

It's cool isn't it? You get to put on your personal touch in your iphone cases.  What an ingenious idea!!! I think this is a product of korea.

What is Woolcandie

I kind of like to make this a long time ago.  Just didn't have the time to do it.

Rockwell The Next Big Thing Bazaar

I went to powerplant mall rockwell bazaar today.  Break from my studying for the board exams.  This year's next big thing has less participants than last year.  Well maybe it's because this year, there are other conventions also like toycons, & other bazaars held.  So the sellers are dispersed.  Second, I think last year was around august, near christmas, so more sellers & buyers.

Anyways, going to rockwell, first time I commuted to powerplant mall.  It was exciting actually, feeling of a little adventure.  What happened though, I realized how kind Filipinos are.  We asked the police officer for directions, we asked to jeepney driver to tell us when to drop off, my seatmate on jeep was also so kind, asking the driver to stop when we're near powerplant rockwell already (I didn't even ask for his help.  He was so KIND!!)

I was armed with um... like P2500 charging through this bazaar.  I know... I should bring more money.. haha, but I'm saving, & to prevent me from spending all of my savings.  Anyways here are the things I bought.

I'm a really big fan of style on air! Everytime I visit bazaars I always ended up buying from her (the owner is korean).  The kokeshi doll brooch on the lower left end by the way was from Shmily. I'm supposed to buy more from Shmily but I kind of forgot what I was looking for before when I visited  her online shop.

I also bought Rose Salve for my mom

I remembered that my mom loves this, so I bought one for her. Time to finish my craft projects. Til next time =D