These are three of six illustrations I made for Candy Magazine‘s Breaking Dawn Special! I’ve been excited to share this, but had to wait till the issue came out this month. I’m not a fan/follower of the Twilight series (though, I did watch the first two movies–the second begrudgingly, haha), but I was ecstatic the moment Candy commissioned me for the issue’s fashion/beauty editorial. It’s my first watercolor project for a magazine! Here’s one of the finished spreads from the section…

All you hardcore Twilight girls should grab a copy! It should be available in all major local bookstores. Hope you enjoy it! (Spread credit: Candy Magazine)

Hello, friends! I’m happy to be finally posting about this! I apologize for the delay… But as I promised, here are the scans of my biggest project to date! (And I mean BIG, because the actual artwork measures around 30″ x 16″!)

A few months ago, the folks at Kérastase (L’Oréal Philippines) commissioned me to design a limited-edition silkscreened tote bag that reflected the essence of the brand. I was given a free hand in interpreting this through a subtle yet feminine illustration. I’m a huge fan of Kérastase hair products, so I instantly knew how to create something that was both subtle yet stylish.

I named this piece “Dream Sequence,” and for me, it expresses what Kérastase is: beauty, luxury and elegance, brought to life in subtle, romantic themes, whimsical shapes and soft, feminine forms. (The focal point, of course, are the strands of flowy, flowy hair–and ribbons!–everywhere!)

Due to time constraints, I had to finish this piece in under a day! I thought it wasn’t possible, and I had to contend with a near-sleepless night… But I was determined to make this work, and I was just too excited for the outcome to give up. Here’s the artwork in its entirety…

…And here is a shot of the bag! The colors turned out more orange and nude-y compared to the artwork, but, no matter. It’s my first official collaborative “designer” item, and I’m so grateful and happy!

Each bag comes free when you avail of a treatment from the salon. I’m not sure which Kérastase salons in Manila are still actively doing this promotion, but be sure to ask your stylist when you drop by yours!

I woke up early today feeling more energized than usual. It could be my body realizing that after two days, it could run without coffee… Or, it was just its way of greeting me a happy birthday!

First things first–I finally unboxed my Diptyque Roseros candles! Since being introduced to Diptyque’s first collaboration with design duo Kuntzel+Deygas, my love for this candlemaker/perfumer has grown more and more. I bought this pair for myself during my recent Hong Kong trip, and you can imagine my excitement when the two scents (similarly and yet distinctly rosy), finally unleashed, danced in my room. (Photos of the unboxing here!)

In the middle of taking photos, I realized I didn’t have to light the candles for the scent to spread (yup, that’s how small my room is). So I left the two on my table for a bit before packing them back into the boxes. I want to use them for extra-special occasions!

A few minutes later, I received the new shoes I ordered from online seller Five By Five! Unwrapping these pairs was such a joy. I literally exclaimed “fabulous!” to myself when I unwrapped the second pair… Bet you can’t argue with that! I’m already imagining all the different outfits that’ll go with them.

Tonight will be dinner with B and my family, then I’ll be working on a set of looming deadlines till perhaps the wee hours (no exceptions for this girl!). All in all, I couldn’t ask for a better day–it’s been a happy one spent in the comfort of home and loved ones.

Let me leave you with the official video for Diptyque’s Roseros. I dub this my birthday song for the year… And my gift for everyone who remembered and greeted me today! Be inspired and enjoy!

She wasn’t wearing this pastel pink dress in a recent Elle UK magazine cover story. But I decided to dress her in such, because of the one thing I’ve been pining for since I got back from my recent Hong Kong trip–a dreamy, sumptuous, ever-so-subtly-pastel pink, Peter Pan collared trench coat, which I saw on the racks in Miu Miu. It was love.

As a kid, I got into the habit of drawing what I loved, and especially what I knew I couldn’t have. You could say that drawing kept me dreaming. So now… Two things: a pixie cut, and that elusive pink coat. I might not be able to afford that coat right now, but I’m afraid it’s going to be “hello, Tinkerbell!” again soon!

My nails in OPI's Lincoln Park After Dark

Because every now and then, I do have a goth side…

Been looking for something with a very deep, plummy hue–that’s nearly black as well!