TOPAZ HORIZON

Remember this photo? It's from our magazine staff shoot that I mentioned in passing last week or so. A reader asked me why I didn't do my usual behind-the-scenes post of the staff shoot. Well, because I've already done that! So I figured you didn't need to see another been-there-done-that story.

But the real reason I didn't blog about the shoot is I forgot to bring the Olympus camera hehehe. I now think that if the photo wasn't taken by our Olympus, it's not worth posting. There is clearly a huge difference, folks. I always discouraged Vince from buying a camera (too expensive--and we already buy our cameras and lenses from Amazon and eBay, which sell far cheaper) until we got pregnant with Vito. After that, everyone keeps commenting on how fantastic our photos are!

Anyway, I did take a few shots with my Blackberry.

Byron of MAC made me up.

That is a face full of foundation and eye makeup!

And this is our "wacky shot." As you can see, what looks like too much makeup is actually just right under the bright glare of the studio lights.

So cute that my staff kids enjoy wacky shots. Being older than the rest of them, I seriously do not understand wacky shots. Whenever the photographer calls out, "Okaaaaaaay, guys, wacky shot!", it makes me wince! But I'm no killjoy so I do the requisite screwing up of the face anyway. For more wacky shots, go check out Elaine's blog, Tralaland.

Okidoki, sorry if I've been MIA again. Been busy with the mommy blog. It's really growing! I have another giveaway there right now so if you're pregnant or know someone who is, join the contest! I've also been occupied with promoting the bedroom Vince and I designed for the Ethan Allen contest we joined. If you haven't voted for me yet, please LIKE my photo! Thanks!

Remember when I wrote about this bed?

Since then, Vince and I have been roaming Manila's furniture shops, department stores and bed boutiques looking for the perfect tufted headboard. We've found a few but they never did quite meet our standards. So when Ethan Allen announced that they had a design contest and a tufted headboard was one of the prizes, it was kismet!

Ethan Allen's rules were simple:
1. Choose one piece from their collection and highlight it.
2. Create a concept about how any space--big or small--can be made lovely with the right furniture and accessories.
3. Design an entire room around the chosen piece. I can use other Ethan Allen pieces and my own furniture and accessories.

Of course you all know what that one Ethan Allen piece I chose! I chose the Jensen tufted headboard!

Here's the concept I came up with (special thanks to the advice and active participation of my wonderful husband, the one with the real taste in design—Vince Sales!):

This is the whole setting up at the Pioneer showroom:

My little wall!

These guys are so fast and efficient!

That's Angel of Ethan Allen arranging my sheets and pillows. Yes, those are really mine!

I brought my steamer so I can smooth out the creases.

My pet peeve is wrinkly sheets and pillows!

Last few touches!

And here's the result!

Except for the major pieces and rug, everything in this set-up—from cradle and sheets to flowers and rocking horse—is really my property!

I think I want that tufted armchair and mirrored chest...

These are my design consultants, Sharon and Angel.

Do you like it? There are more photos in The One Ethan Allen Challenge Facebook page. You can also check out the other challengers' rooms. They're also nice!

But there can only be one winner!

Please vote for MY room! Make sure to like my bedroom in the album called OFFICIAL ENTRIES. There you can vote for my room (yes, my room, ha!). So pleeeeeeeease VOTE FOR ME by "liking" my room! Thank you so much!

UPDATE: I won! Hooray!

I keep muttering about how I am taking on too much and then just last week, I took on yet another project! Insanity!!! I'll tell you more about this exciting new thing I've been up to on Thursday (I want to tell you now but the official announcement is scheduled on Thursday!) but if you follow me on Twitter, you'd know I've joined a contest and the prize is really making Vince and me giddy giddy giddy!

Okay, shhh. I can't say anything about it till Thursday so I'll just post a pregnant photo of me:

Yep, nothing special, just a really comfy dress from Mango that I wore for our magazine staff shoot last Friday. I'm going to have my belly button Photoshopped off--it seriously looks like a third nipple! I also felt very huge beside my super skinny staff--all of them lithe limbs and flat stomachs. Grrr! Even the other pregnant woman in my staff, Joanna, just looked like she has a fake belly because the rest of her is still so slim.

I'll be 8 months preggers this Friday! I am sooo excited! Vince, too. We can't wait to meet Wiggle-y Poo! I guess that's why I'm also just grabbing every opportunity now, despite my overly packed schedule, because I really think that once Wiggle is born, I'm going to hibernate. Just focus on my family, take care of the babies, lovey-dovey the hubby again, maybe redecorate.

I'll miss you an awful lot, though. My blogging friends have always been there for me and I can't imagine not blogging. So we'll see how it goes after May! Oh my, May is just around the corner! Soooo excited!

P.S. Don't forget--I have a fabulous baby footwear giveaway over at Topaz Mommy!