KISTYKREME.NET

DREAMCATCHER GIVEAWAY As you can see, I’ve been doing a...

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 20:30:00 +0800

DREAMCATCHER GIVEAWAY

As you can see, I’ve been doing a lot of giveaways lately. Well, it’s actually one way of giving thanks to everyone who made last year a really wonderful year and to celebrate the second birthday of my domain, KISTYKREME.NET (My blog as born in le 2008 as supergirl.tumblr.com). So, I’m throwing another giveaway and this time, it’s a customized 3-inch dreamcatcher (not on the photo, that’s mine).

Mechanics
1. Reblog this entry once.
2. Tweet the following once and separately:

@Kisty is giving another #AwesomecakesGiveaway on her blog! Visit kistykreme.net for details! ♡
I nominate @Kisty for a Shorty Award in #Blogger because …
http://shortyawards.com/Kisty?category=blogger
I nominate @Kisty for a Shorty Award in #Design because …
http://shortyawards.com/Kisty?category=design

Example:
I nominate @Kisty for a Shorty Award in #blogger because she’s one awesomecakes of a fashion/photography blogger! http://shortyawards.com/Kisty?category=blogger

** The reason has to be related to the category, which is blogging or design. You cannot merge the vote into one tweet. :) Also, if you have voted for me already in the #Blogger category prior to the start of this giveaway, no need to tweet it again.

The contest is open worldwide and will end the same day the Instax giveaway will end, which is on February 18, 2012. The winner will be chosen via Random.org. :)

P.S. The Keep Calm and Carry On book is not included.

Work In Progress: Lana Del Rey I’m not a big fan of her...

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 20:00:00 +0800

Work In Progress: Lana Del Rey

I’m not a big fan of her music but her face is such an eyecandy. I seriously don’t mind looking at her all day. I might be able to finish this sketch if I knew what to do with the hair.

P.S. To that anonymous coward who said I’m not good at sketching. Post yours and let’s see who’s work is better. Talk is cheap.

Brand New Day by Kisty Mea Shot taken at our hotel room last...

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 19:30:05 +0800

Brand New Day by Kisty Mea

Shot taken at our hotel room last December 31st. :)

iamazinggrace asked: Hi, how do you that page navigation at the end of your blog? Thanks! Uhm…...

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 13:37:00 +0800

iamazinggrace asked: Hi, how do you that page navigation at the end of your blog? Thanks!

Uhm… HMTL and Tumblr Theme Docs?

definegorgeous asked: Ate Kisty, can you post a photo of your hair? thanks :)

When I get back to MNL coz’ no one will be able to take my photos here and I need to replace my tripod first. :)

Q: Hi Ate Kisty! I just want to say that your sketches are really good, even better than Ate Camie! Hers are good din pero weird yung face ni Effy dun sa latest sketch niya. Wla lng. Yours kasi had more variety, may anime ka pa ngang sketch dun eh. Astig! Uhm, how long have you been sketching po ba?

Lol thanks! :) I’ve been into sketching since I was a little kid. :) I would even spend more time drawing rather than learning how to write my own name legibly. Haha.

theinfiniteletters asked: Hi Kisty! I love your theme - it’s so sweet and simple! And I love all your photos! Good luck in your study! :)

Merci beaucoup! ♥

Q: Where do you edit your photos?

Adobe Photoshop CS5. http://kistykreme.net/faq

Q: “The mermaid misses her adventurer. ♥” So feeling mo mermaid ka?

It’s an old inside joke between me and my boyfriend because I’m a mermaid since birth! I’m only in my human form because I’m really curious about your kind.

I loved Disney’s The Little Mermaid ever since I could remember. In fact, I would sing “Part of Your World” every afternoon all throughout the first grade. Good thing I wasn’t in the water or else, I would’ve drown sailors to their death or something (That’s a false myth about our kind, by the way!)

Did you know that the real story of The Little Mermaid is so depressing that it wasn’t a happily ever after? And did you know that the girl on the Starbucks logo is originally a mermaid (it still is, except they’ve been cropping the fins part)? I knew this before I even verified the information from Google because we can detect our own kind. This is probably why I like to lounge at Starbucks more often than other coffee shops.

In a few months time, I’ll be turning 24. I don’t look like 24 and I certainly...

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 00:34:12 +0800

In a few months time, I’ll be turning 24. I don’t look like 24 and I certainly don’t feel like one but by then and hopefully, I have completed my master’s degree here in Singapore. I guess, 24 can be considered as an “impressive” age to be carrying a master’s degree since some people pursue it after a couple years of working. But when I look at people my age and see what they’re doing or how much they’ve accomplished in life, I feel like my pace is that of a turtle…. or maybe a snail, or even worst, a slug!

I guess the reason I’m having these thoughts is because at the back of my head, I always saw myself settling down by the age of 25. Truth be told, I’m not ready to settle down yet but I just feel that at 24, I should be preparing for my life in the near future by having a job and earning actual money. Instead, I’m here being dependent with my family because my pass forbids me to apply for a job here in Singapore and school is consuming a lot of my time already that I can’t afford to apply or do any freelance work.

I guess none of you can really relate to me because most of you guys are between 13 to 21. In fact, some of you are little sisters of blockmates (Hi, sister of Jenzo… If you’re reading this!).

I think I’m going to sketch to ease my mind off things. Good night!

Fireworks of 2012

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 23:33:39 +0800

Fireworks of 2012

Foodgasm • January 29, 2012Psst! Make sure you visit my blog to...

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:15:00 +0800

Foodgasm • January 29, 2012
Psst! Make sure you visit my blog to see the bigger size of the photo. I swear, it’ll make you drool!

In case you didn’t notice, I’ve been experimenting on how to present the photos on my blog lately. In some entries, I hosted the images on a different host so they could be as large as 640 pixels (like my Beijing Photo Diary and recent Lookbook photos) while some were merged into one image file but divided by a whitespace (like my latest 52 Weeks of Instax entry and last week’s Vanity photo).

Now, I thought of experimenting with templates, textures and patterns that I’ve been downloading and saving in one folder. I still need to polish my Photoshop skills though, I think it’s getting rusty. Hehe. What do you think? Should I present some of my photos in format?

And please, please, please do nominate me for the Shorty Awards! All you need to do is tweet the following once:

I nominate @Kisty for a Shorty Award in #blogger because she’s one awesomecakes of a fashion/photography blogger!http://shortyawards.com/Kisty?category=blogger

I'm nominated for the Shorty Awards!

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:14:00 +0800

I'm nominated for the Shorty Awards!:

Hi, everyone!

Dianne (who also needs your vote) nominated me for the Shorty Awards, an annual event that honor the best of social media (in Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and so on). I would love to be on the Top 6 if that’s possible (Where do I get 600 tweets?)

All you need to do is tweet the following once (I made it easier for you!):

I nominate @Kisty for a Shorty Award in #blogger because she’s one awesomecakes of a fashion/photography blogger! http://shortyawards.com/Kisty?category=blogger

By the way, you’re free to change the reason (the italicized words). :)
The nomination period ends on the 17th of February. Hope you could help me out!

Light As A Feather

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:15:06 +0800

Porkpie hat from Topshop • White button-down shirt and denim cut-offs from Cotton On • Shoes from Jeffrey Campbell • I Sweat Glitters — Punk Earring from MARiS • Other accessories from Diva, Bugis Village

One of the many things I’ve learned from learned from Lauren Conrad’s Style is that if you found that perfect piece, preferably basics, don’t be afraid to buy it in numbers because sooner or later, that piece will no longer be available in the market and you have to scour through stores again.

When Hurricane Kitty/Jesrhel Co wore this earring for MARiS, I instantly fell inlove with it. I immediately told my boyfriend about it and he bought it for me as gift. Forever sweet! ♥

Mixed bracelets and bangles from Diva & Yhansy Manila. Rings from Bugis Village.

Last but not the least, shoes from Jeffrey Campbell! ♥ One day, I’ll own more JC shoes! ;)

Please do hype this outfit on Lookbook! Thanks! ♥

3/52: The Postcard Project I’ve been discovering a lot of...

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:30:00 +0800

3/52: The Postcard Project

I’ve been discovering a lot of cute stationery shops here lately and one of them were selling beautiful handmade cards. I’ve never sent a postcard before but I thought it would be a nice gesture to send some love to my friends back in the Philippines, so I bought one box.

Just sent my first card earlier and if things go well, I’ll send more after my term break and hopefully become an active member of Postcrossing and do a Postcard Project. :)

INTERACTION ♥
Hey, awesome readers! Hit my Disqus/comment box and answer the following questions:

Have you ever sent a postcard or letter by (normal/ordinary) post before?
Do you want to be part of my *hopefully* Postcard Project?

Romantique ♥Hype this outfit on Lookbook Details: Lace Apricot...

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:00:06 +0800

Romantique ♥
Hype this outfit on Lookbook

Details: Lace Apricot Dress from Romwe • Porkpie Hat, Belt and Tights from Topshop • Black Pumps from Aldo • Accessories from Diva

This lovely dress from Romwe is so classy, I wanted to match a pair of suspender tights. I didn’t have any so I really went out and bought one at Topshop (Fortunately, it was F3’s 40% off discount weekend!). Wearing this ensemble makes me feel like I’m a French girl who regularly attends a poetry club in a chic cafe. ;)

And since Valentine’s Day is coming up, Romwe is throwing away an early discount rate for you guys! See the photo below for details:

Don’t forget to hype my other looks here, here, here and here. Thanks! :)

Je t’aime ♥ on Lookbook I don’t know if...

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:12:06 +0800

Je t’aime ♥ on Lookbook

I don’t know if it’s just me but it seems that most malls in Singapore likes to pump up their A/C units. Since I wasn’t feeling well that day, I’ve decided to wear this really slouchy sweater from Cotton On Body to keep me protected yet warm. :)

I also finally got a chance to wear my customized dreamcatcher necklace. Want one? Don’t worry, I’ll throw a giveaway in the near future. ;)

Now, to add some hint of edgy to my laid-back and obviously girlish outfit, I’ve decided to pair it up with my Jeffrey Campbell booties! ♥

Oh, hype this on Lookbook!

Tumblr Ask

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:00:00 +0800

blankpieceofmind asked: Heya! What program did you use to edit the videos? :)

iMovie

Q: How about you take us on a tour at SG? like, show us the nice places to visit there and stuff? :3

Thanks! Well, I made a short video featuring the Marina Bay area. I hope to make more soon. :)

Q: Hi Kisty! I was using a Nikon D40 today and it was already running out of battery. But when I tried to turn it on again, it said, “error press shutter release button”. What does that mean? And how do I fix it?

Hi! Sorry for the late respond. I assume you’ve tried turning it on and off and so on. If yes, is your camera working already? If not, then I think you need to send it to Nikon (and maybe reset the shutter count).

bilspectator said: Good evening ate Kisty. I’ve been following you for a while and your blog is smashin’. Always stay pretty and pink :-)

Thank you so much! <3

Q: This is such a lovely theme! are you sharing this theme? or do you make themes?

Thank you but no, I’m not sharing this theme. You can download my other free themes though @ kistykreme.net/themes :)

You’re free to modify those themes as long as you keep the credit.

ilovequiaraa asked: Icons, puhleaaase! Thank u :) Keep Safe Xxx

What do you mean?

gorjussleidicheri asked: ATE KISTY! Ssingapore is one of the country na gustong gusto kong puntahan„magkano kaya budget pang-gala jan?para habang nag-aaral pa ako makakapag-ipon na ako ng bonga-bonga para sa dream ko.. HAHAHAHA..dream ko talagang makapunta sa singapore hope it will come true.. thankyou po ate :) yourFASHION + yourPHOTOGRAPHY = ♥

I think the standard cost is around 30K, without travel money. The rate really depends on the time you want to visit. Airfare usually cost around 10K but it can go cheaper if you were lucky enough to avail promos or book ahead of time. For accommodations, you can stay at a hostel (it’s like dorm, cost about SGD20/night) or a hotel (roughly around SGD200/night). If you book at Agoda.com, you’ll get awesome hotel rates. :)

Q: Hi! I’ve been a long-time follower of you and Camie (xfrecklesandtea) and sa totoo lang pag may nakikita akong hate mail about you sa blog niya, like yung sketches niyo, nalulungkot ako. Bakit di ka nalang nila hayaan? Anyway, what’s your say about these hate mails about you?

I’m just going to be honest here… I’ve tried my best to steer away from the issue para lang matapos na. There was even a time where I chose not to publish certain entries just to avoid issues from rising up.

But over time, I’ve learned not to care anymore. I mean, why do I have to restrain myself from doing things I like just because some popular kid on Tumblr did it first? Just because she shared those things first doesn’t mean she’s the only one who can own it or has the right to do it. Bitch please, anyone can do whatever they want and I’m no exception.

Q: Hi! I would really want to know which store did you get to choose colors for you hair and where is the store located? I’ve been dying to have ombre hair for months now, I just can’t find a salon who has the colors I like, or online shops who has the shades I like too. Please? :)

Somewhere here. Definitely not in the Philippines. :)

Q: why didnt u have highlights in your recent vid?

Because the Hello Panda Challenge video was recorded last October. :)

Q: Hi, Kisty gamit ko yung themes mo na simplicity 2.0 gusto ko siya lagyan ng Banner/Header paano kaya??

Uhm… I forgot how my Simplicity 2.0 works. It’s either you can upload a photo under the Appearance tab or add the code on the HTML.

gorjussleidicheri asked: ate kisty, meron po ba kayong mga pic nyo na nka polo? pwede po bang ipost nyo.?. wanna see lang po if how can i wear polo in many ways :) thankyou ate

Yup! I might post it one of these days. Can’t post everything in one day! ;)

Q: Uhm, do you mind sharing some pictures you’ve taken using your tamron 17-50mm 2.8? What’s your review sa lens na yan. :) I was thinking of buying one kasi. THANKS!

IMHO, it’s a heavy lens but I like it coz’ of the coverage and sharpness. If I’m not mistaken, most of my shots at Beijing were taken with my 17-50mm lens. :) Check out the photo of the yawning fox, that was taken as is. :) Because of my Tamron lens, I barely use my Tokina 11-16mm (but that len is better for architectural shots).

Q: Hi kisty! may i ask where did you buy your dream-catcher necklace? i’ve been looking for one and i can’t seem to find one :( thanks! have a nice day.

Hi! I ordered it online. :)

FAN MAIL Hi Kisty. Your blog is pretty awesome. I really really idolize you. More powers to your blog :) — beckymonster

Awww.. Thank you so much! <3

FAN MAIL Hi Kisty!I really love your blog! Thanks for all the Giveaways ! You’re so Generous and Pretty!and we’re both from Manila Philippines! I love you! I hope you’ll follow me! ♥ — colorfulwishes

Thank you! Don’t worry, more giveaways to come! :)

FAN MAIL Hi Miss Kisty,I was inspired by your posts here in tumblr. And I want to know more about you. Hope we will be friends. Take care! — missashleykristina

Awww… Thank you! I’ll try to post more personal stuff about me. It’s nice to know that I inspire people and at the same time, get inspired. :) And yes, we can be friends!

Glimpse of Singapore I have no idea why it looks awful when it...

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:24:06 +0800

Glimpse of Singapore

I have no idea why it looks awful when it was uploaded to YouTube… But I do hope you guys like it. :)

iPhone vs. Blackberry

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:36:00 +0800

The answer of the question, “Which is the better smartphone?”, lies on the personal preference of the person who will use it.

I remember when I was still handling Bubblecrush Web Host when the iPhone 3GS was about to be released. Since I needed to be online 24/7 for my clients, I need a phone that’s easy to use, stylish and can access my e-mails when necessary. During that time, I just knew that the iPhone was the one for me.

Two years later, Blackberry phones were on the rise. A lot of my friends were on BBM and I just simply want to be part of that so I can connect with them 24/7 (only to realize that I’m really a lazy texter/chatter).

I bought my Blackberry Torch last August, almost five months ago, because I was already preparing for my move to Singapore. I didn’t really need a new phone but because my iPhone was locked with Globe…. OKAY, HOLD THAT THOUGHT.

I just don’t understand why Globe and Smart likes to lock their phones. I also don’t understand why Apple allow such things to happen, especially if they don’t like it for people to jailbreak their product. I’m not saying that the jailbreaking process will stop but it might lessen.

I also asked a staff from Singtel earlier if their iPhones are locked and she said that it’s not. FOUR FOR YOU, SINGTEL! FOR FOR YOU!

Anyway, as I was saying before I so rudely interrupted myself… I had no choice but to get a phone. So, yay! A new phone! :P

After (almost) five months of using my Blackberry as my default phone, I’ve made a verdict which one is the better smartphone. As I’ve said earlier, it’s a personal preference because my experience might not be the same as yours but here’s a list of things I’ve noticed:

Blackberry Torch
PROS

Blackberry Internet Service
Here in Singapore, you don’t need to maintain a balance to use this service. Definitely a plus points for me. :)
The keypad is nice.

CONS

The 5MP camera is quite tempting but for some strange reason, I don’t like the quality.
Not a lot of games. IMHO, a Blackberry is made for serious people.
You need to reboot after every update. You can reboot once all updates are done but until then, your phone will become reaaaaaaally slow.
When I’m on touchscreen, it doesn’t respond immediately. Slow reaction time.
Drains your battery like a b*tch. :(
THAT ANNOYING LOCK BUTTON. It doesn’t really “lock” my phone because it’s too sensitive. I had to buy a $3 app, which won’t automatically work after every update.

iPhone 3GS
PROS

Call me bias but everything. I love everything! I guess, the phone is just really made for me. :)
Let’s start with Instagram and GameCenter, add me (kistykreme).
Tons of games to play, tons of apps to download.
Games by Kairosoft, remake of Final Fantasy and other NES games.
Facetime and Viber.

CONS

The sucky quality of the camera but you can fix that by upgrading your phone.
After using it for two years, I’m having a hard time pressing the home button.
It can also drain your battery like a b*tch. :(
They didn’t release iMessage a few months earlier….
No Flash. Can’t play Facebook games. :(
No universal Apple ID. I’d like to merge my US and PH account.

So… Can you guess which one is the better phone for me? :)

The Hello Panda Challenge Don’t you find it awkward that...

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:48:06 +0800

The Hello Panda Challenge

Don’t you find it awkward that I’m addicted to Yanyan but never tasted Hello Panda before? Now, I’m just addicted to both. Haha. Anyway, don’t forget to join my giveaway! :)

New Hair Teaser // January 28, 2012 by Kisty Mea Red & Purple/Pink Streaks While waiting for...

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:20:00 +0800

New Hair Teaser // January 28, 2012 by Kisty Mea

Red & Purple/Pink Streaks

While waiting for my friend to send over the photos I took using his digicam. Here’s another preview of what my current hair looks like….

As you can see, nothing much has changed except there are several streaks of red and purple. It’s more brighter in person though.

Remember this photo? Well, can you believe that the colors were made in Photoshop? My mom allowed me to get that kind of style if the colors would look good on me.

Unfortunately, the store didn’t have the exact shade. My only options were the following colors: deep navy blue, purple with a light shade of light pink on the tip, crimson red and hot pink. I wanted the hot pink but it was too bright to suit my skin tone. D:

My thoughts? I wish the purple was brighter so it’s more noticeable. I wish I had more streaks (I only had six because it was my first time and I didn’t want to regret it later). I wish there were more colors to choose from, more shades to mix.

I’m really glad I did this though. Now, I’m ready to invest in my hair bucket list! I once tweeted that I want to dye my hair into red, those shade of Lily Evans, then dye it into baby pink until it can finally look like as ombre hair and add multi-colored streaks until I get bored and go back to chocolate brown. Sounds like a plan for the next two years!

P.S. I did not dye my hair. These are hair extensions.

Fashionary Sketches by Kisty Mea As I mentioned in my earlier...

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 20:30:06 +0800

Fashionary Sketches by Kisty Mea

As I mentioned in my earlier post, I got this sketchbook last September. This sketchbook is called Fashionary (LOL at my way of introducing a product…). What is Fashionary exactly? It’s a sketchbook made for fashion designers. Okay, I’m not a fashion designer but I enjoy sketching clothes that I will one day and hopefully make for myself. Why? Because not everything in retail stores will fit me. I can’t buy a one-piece jumpsuit because they’re too long for me (I know a lot of you petite girls out there experienced that kind of problem) or something. Plus, I wanted to sketch possible costumes I’d like to use in future shoots or Halloween parties (Alice in Wonderland shoot anyone?)! ;)

Anyway, I got this sketchbook from Avalon.ph and I remember how prompt their service was. Upon ordering, I even asked the quality of the paper because I didn’t want my pens to ink at the back. Jas, the owner, answered me in a very informative way and even gave me a discount because the A4 version just arrived. Informative and considerate.

This giveaway was supposed to be for February but I...

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:45:00 +0800

This giveaway was supposed to be for February but I couldn’t wait any longer! Hahaha! So I’m going to make this really quick and simple. All of these beauty goodies and more will be yours just by subscribing to my my new yet dead YouTube account then leave a comment on my Disqus box with your YouTube username.

OH AND PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE TWEET THIS:

I nominate @Kisty for a Shorty Award in #blogger because she’s one awesomecakes of a fashion/photography blogger! http://shortyawards.com/Kisty

Giveaway ends on February 05, 2012 (EXTENDED) and winner will be chosen via Random.org. :) Philippine residents only.

Wanderlust Hotel

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:57:00 +0800

wanderlust (noun) \ˈwän-dər-ˌləst\ – an irresistibly strong desire or an impulse to travel far away and explore different places.

This is the Wanderlust Hotel, located along Dickson Road, near Little India station. This lovely boutique hotel has acclaimed numerous awards and reviews for its beauty and function, and I was fortunate enough to understand why.

The building was originally an old school built in 1920s. Usually, an existing building restricts architects and engineers to maximize the space but the creative people behind this hotel used this to their advantage.

They collaborated (oh, I love that word) with award winning Singapore design agencies to make four thematic levels of 29 rooms. Each group was given full creative freedom and each room was different from one another.

Lobby Level – Industrial Glam by Asylum
A juxtaposition of the surrounding’s setting and contemporary design.
Level 2 – Eccentricity by :phunk Studio
Colours everything from the walls to the neon lights and the rainbow corridor leads to a outdoor deck with a customised mosaic-tiled jacuzzi.

Level 3 – Is it just Black and White by DP Architects
Walk across the black corridor and enter into the contrasting white rooms to discover Origami and Pop-Art works.

Level 4 – Creature Comforts by fFurious
Get cosy with friendly monsters in each room that presents a different vibe and be assured of a fantasy-filled experience.

Everything is complimentary, from wi-fi (admit it, free wi-fi access is a major +++ points) to the non-alcoholic drinks in the minibar. As for your coffee, each room has a Nespresso that can fulfill all of your caffeine needs. Oh, and they also have an iPod dock for your music. :)

Since I don’t drink coffee, I don’t really need Nespresso but everything else, definitely a must. At least, I don’t have to go out to buy a can of soda or look for an Internet cafe. They’re really trying to give their guests the comfort they need — definitely a sweet escape.

The hotel was full when I got there, which kinda made me sad because I really wanted to see the loft rooms (most especially, the space room!) but maybe next time. :)

I also featured this hotel on Juice.ph (click here).

Thank you to Ms. Mae for showing me around. :)
To those who wish to contact or reserve at Wanderlust, details below:

Wanderlust Hotel
2 Dickson Road
Singapore 209494

Tel: +65 6396 3322
Fax: +65 6298 2211
Email: reservations@wanderlusthotel.com

For sales enquires, write us at sales@wanderlusthotel.com