Saturday, August 10, 2013

Lazy weekends are for painting

Del Monte Spaghetti sent my kids art materials a few weeks ago. Now Vito has expressed a keen interest in colors and drawing since this summer so I was very happy to have new art stuff sent our way (thanks, Del Monte!).

When we opened the watercolors set, Vito was amazed. But his impatience with wetting the brush, picking up paint, and building up color layer by layer soon frustrated him. So I picked up the really rather pathetic brush with plastic bristles and showed him what he could do with watercolors.

Not bad! Not good but, hey, I've never painted in my life. But now I want to! I think I'll put this on my bucket list: Paint something big! Maybe my husband will buy it haha!

What artsy crafty thing did you do this weekend?

Thursday, August 08, 2013

My Watsons haul

My family and I were invited to a shopping spree at Watsons! Now, my family's a fan of Watsons. Just go to this post on Topaz Mommy to see our usual hoard. So anyway, when we got that invitation to shop shop shop in June (I know, what a late post!), we said yes yes yes!

We went to the Greenbelt 1 branch.


My boys shopped, too. Okay, get ready to have your hearts melt!

That's how they are when we shop! That's why it's so hard to resist them! We always buy them stuff! Soooo cute! But in case you start thinking we're one of those parents who spoil their kids (well, we kinda spoil them to bits with stuff and with our 24/7 presence!), we do buy them just a few things. For example, on our Watsons shopping trip, we agreed to buy them candy. That's it. The rest of the shopping extravaganza was spent on... wait for it... Tissue!!!


Facial tissue, wet tissue, on-the-go tissue... When you have kids, you can never ever have enough tissue! It's like that thin membrane between sanity and insanity!

Anyway, we were all there to check out Watsons's new look. Robert Sun, the GM of Watsons Philippines, said that the brand is supposed to be for contemporary living, it's a convenience store that make modern urban life easier. "We conducted extensive research with our customers and, based on their feedback, are evolving the Watsons brand to a more contemporary, attractive and engaging retail experience." The new look is top to bottom: the staff has new smart uniforms, more welcoming store interiors, health and beauty counseling, a bright and clean pharmacy, and the logo, which looked like this:

... has been transformed to the more modern and much friendlier this:

Viki Encarnacion, the marketing director, adds, "We are enhancing the overall Watsons shopping experience, whilst continuing to ensure our pioneering products." Part of that enhancement is launching the Watsons app (iOS and Android). Available at the App Store and at Google Play this month. It's a cool app that will help you with health and beauty tips, discount coupons, and other useful tools.
Watsons also launched its Android and iOS app this month. It will have health and beauty tips, new product updates and exclusive discount coupons. Check out the App Store and Google Play and download na dali!

And here we are with our tissues. We actually bought more than just that one bag! This was in June, right? It's already August and we're still fully stocked! But we're running out so we're off to Watsons this weekend! See you!

Click! Click! Click! http://www.watsons.com.ph/webph/Home.do

Like! Like! Like! https://www.facebook.com/WatsonsPH

*photo credit: Watsons store, family photo and app image courtesy of Watsons. 

Friday, August 02, 2013

Topaz Fashion: Win a sexy Vania Romoff dress!

CONTEST IS CLOSED.

Over at my Facebook page, I've been promising to give this dress away to my readers for weeks now but I just haven't been able to do it because I have other things to do. I'm seriously considering not doing giveaways anymore unless it's sponsored (this is not a sponsored post) because it's so much work!

Can you smell a rant? Hehe. Sorry! Unlike everyone else, I no longer use Random.org nor do I use Rafflecopter for my contests. I now really go through each and every entry then I pick who I like best. What happened? Well, I gave away a fab shopping experience before Christmas last year and the winner was randomly picked. I announced it on the blog, on all my social media accounts... No response from the winner! That means the winner doesn't read my blog or follow me on social media! It was a fab gift. I wanted the winner to truly deserve it. I wanted a loyal reader to always win my giveaways. So now I check each entry! And it takes up so much of my time!

Rant over.

To win this fabulous Vania Romoff dress, simply ask your husband or boyfriend to post a couple photo over at my Facebook page. Say whut?! Yeah, I have to pick a guy to win this contest because I promised it.

Never make promises you can't keep so even if this is kinda silly, I'm doing it this way! I kinda like it, though. I'll get to see your guys! I love romance! And this sexy Vania Romoff dress is sure to add sizzle to your love affair!

UPDATE: The dress will fit an XS or an S. It's backless and almost waistless. You gotta be pretty tiny and wasp-waisted to slither into this baby.

So here are the mechanics:
1. Ask your guy to post a photo of you as a couple on my Facebook page. Note: Better if full body shot!
2. Tell him to type: "I want my girl [your name] to win this sexy Vania Romoff dress from @TopazHorizon because she is the hottest thing that ever walked this planet!"
3. Tag three of his friends.

That's it! I'll pick a winner by next Topaz Fashion!

Thanks, Nestlé Non-Fat Milk, for the dress for my lucky reader. Sana ako rin meron designer dress!!!

UPDATE: The winner of the super sexy Vania Romoff designer dress is Jet Meneses! Well, he won it for his gorgeous wife, Josephine.

Thanks for joining, Jet. And thank you for being such a fabulous hubby to Josephine. That white hot dress will make your wife look absolutely incredible! Send me a message via my Facebook page on how you can claim your prize.