Faith.

Whoso loves, believes the impossible.

{ Elizabeth Barret Browning }

*

Hope, faith, love. These always go together.

My assignments are late, but I'm catching up.
Have to give time to things I commited myself to.

{ Aileen . Photo Assignment April Week 1 }

Aurinia Saxatilis 'Compacta'

Or commonly called alyssum or Dwarf Goldentuft or Basket of Gold, pick what suits you best or whatever is easier to remember. Maybe someday I should get this for my garden. This picture was taken at Morton Arboretum which attracted my attention because of its thick foliage and formed a dense mat of yellow. It reseeds itself and likes dry poor soil and a sunny spot.

Just my kind of groundcover. Forget the 'someday', maybe I should find out where I could buy it. Soon!

Here's a Basket of Gold to you from me - Lou.

Luscious

Photo Assignment: Week 1 - May Flowers - Pink

Camera Park

Bleeding Hearts

Or Dicentra from my garden. This is one of my all time favorites. However, they are only in bloom in Spring and then it dies by summer. It is one of the longer blooming perennials as others lasts only for a couple of weeks.

My apologies for being late in submitting my assignment.

[Assignment: May Flowers-Week 1- Pink]

Lou @ nagpanaoan.com

Happiness corner.

These two are my favorite things in my house -- flowers and a bookshelf filled with books. Flowers, because they are instant uplifters. They make me happy. And I like burst of colors in my house (not that my house isn't colorful enough). *grin*

My bookshelf now overflows with books. I have to place about 30 books on my dining table now, but that's ok. I don't need much table space for eating anyway. =D

I love reading. This little corner in my house -- bookshelf + an old sofa -- is where where I spend quiet weekends, just reading. It's an instant vacation for me. I get to travel, be in places, and imagine possibilities through the pages of the books I read. Nothing really is more magical than that.

{ Aileen . Photo Assignment March Week 1 }

That Special Person.

Looking back, you realize that a very special person
passed briefly through your life, and that person was you.
It is not too late to become that person again.

{ Robert Brault }

*

I grew up physically, emotionally, psychological beaten up.
I was lied to, and brainwashed into believing
that I was ugly and talentless.

And then one person believed I could do anything
and that I was the most beautiful person in the world.
It took years for me to believe that myself.

Maybe, we only need two things to make us realize how truly special we are --

one, our willingness to heal and forgive;
and two, someone who will believe in us.

*

{ Aileen . Photo Assignment February Week 4: Self-Protrait }

Photo: Self-timer. Vintaged.
Excuse the tummy. Not preggy, just busog. Haha.

Anything and Everything.

When she first saw him, even before they actually knew each other, she knew deep inside her he was The One. It was one summer night when he came up to her and introduced himself. He got her number and they talked every night since. And as they say, the rest is history.

A couple of months after that first meeting, he gave her a note that said:

"If it's for you, I'd do anything and everyhing."

He has kept that promise all these years.

{ Aileen . Photo Assignment Week 3: Finding The One. }

Second Chances

Love as though you have never been hurt before.

{ Chichi Abadingo . Photo Assignment February Week 2: Love Poetry }

Pure Love.

One is loved because one is loved.
No reason is needed for loving.

{ Paulo Coelho }

*

{ Aileen . Photo Assignment February Week 2 }

Through the Stomach

They say that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach.
This cliche applies to me and my first love.
I had him at the kitchen! Hahaha!!!

A Happy New Year!

When in doubt, don't.
Restrain yourself from anger.
Hold that tongue. Keep that thought.
Life is way too beautiful... smile!

He had her at hello.

A heart necklace he gave her some years ago.

*

It started with a hello.
And a friendship so deep and real,
they just couldn't help but fall in love.

Although, it was for her, love at first sight.



{ Aileen . Photo Assignment February Week 1 }

Thoughts on Self.

Me, photographing me, sans makeup and panudlay. Haha. And a few pounds lighter.
Photo: vintaged. And practicing my post-processing cloning skills. *grin*

*

Think positively about yourself...
ask God who made you to keep on remaking you.

{ Norman Vincent Peale }

*

I have made little steps everyday
in thinking positively about myself,
shedding off shadow doubts and half-truths
some people made me believe about myself
when I was a little girl.

I'm grown up now.
Stronger. Happier.

I will continue to reinvent myself,
learn new things, tread on new paths,
discover more horizons.

And yes, I will continue to ask God
to keep on remaking me.

{ Aileen . January Self-Portrait }

Holding on to hope.

I hope that this year,
the storm that is this financial crisis would pass,
and that there'll be more sunny days,
still waters, magical moments,
good health and friendships,

and just this serene happiness for every soul.

{ Aileen . Photo Assignment January Week 3: Hope for the New Year }

Braver and Bolder.

The change I want to make this year?

I will be braver and bolder.
I will dive more seas,
fly more skies,
try things that scare me.

And do the things people least expect from me.


{ Aileen . Photo Assignment January Week 2: Making a Change }

Assertiveness

From creative lens

This may be the trait that I wasn’t born with. But this something that is learned and could be developed over time. This year I plan to improve on my assertiveness skills, no matter how limited they are. For few reasons:

• I want to change my behavior towards sports.
• I am willing to set reasonable goals and take reasonable risks.
• I am open to new ideas for learning.
• I am willing to make the effort to practice and have patience while learning my new skills.

text grabbed from dviewfinder.com

{A.T.G.- Photo Assignment Week 2: Making A Change}

ties

assignment week: 1st wk of january
title: ties
theme: favourite christmas moment


* * *




(roi,jojo,ana holding photos of me and adrian)


it was a few minutes just past midnight in the Philippines (25th of december). a few minutes after 4pm in the UK (24th of december).

even time and distance cannot stop ties that bind.

we keep up the tradition of connecting and showing our appreciation of having one another in eachother's lives.

this photo was'nt chosen for its photographic qualities. the whitebalance is too warm, the composition not exactly quality, the laptop's dust much more obvious in the photos (harhar), and there really is nothing much to how the photo looks but the meaning is so much more to me.

this was taken after speaking to my mama. my brothers, jojo,roi and my sister ana were holding photos of me and adrian, while we greeted one another "merry christmas".

in my background was my stereo playing christmas songs, and behind them, i could hear the entire family chattering and laughing.

this was our version of a group photo.

yes, i did spend christmas with them. phils time, at least.

ME CHICHI

I was always afraid to have my picture taken. I did not feel pretty enough to please me. Then I grew older and learned that I cannot change the way I look but I can change the way I think.

(So what if I just woke up without a quick fresh up!) bwehehe.

I am a woman in process. I'm just trying like everybody else. I try to take every conflict, every experience, and learn from it. Life is never dull.
Oprah Winfrey

{ Chichi Abadingo . Photo Assignment January Week 4: Self Portrait }

Making a Change

We can't become what we need to be by remaining what we are.
Oprah Winfrey

I had a haircut today.

I moved all my "abubots" into a new bag.

This may just be a few small changes but it made a difference. Confidence as tall as this eye candy.

{ Chichi Abadingo . Photo Assignment January Week 2: Making a Change }

Hope for the New Year

My hope is to see myself in others. My reflection mirrors my identity.
I am thinking about what I want to achieve, then connect with others with the same dogma and maybe (just maybe) one day, change the world.

This is how coffee affects me. Pensive and Vain.

{ Chichi Abadingo . Photo Assignment January Week 3: Hope for the New Year }