lush

I told Chicha we needed to get potted plants with her big brother who has a greening-the-school project. Aside from a letter from his teachers, big brother Bear explained to me: We need plants Ma, so we get more oxygen in school. Me: Oh, who told you that? Teacher? Bear: No. A scientist on TV. We should get 10 plants okay... so, so there's more oxygen.

On the day we get ready to buy some potted "oygenators", I put on a pair of shorts, a yoga tank and flip-flpos for the trip to a nearby plant nursery. Bear and I are basically in house clothes, but she put this on:

Me: Cheech... told you we're just going to buy plants. Chicha: I knooow. Dressed for the plants. Literally. As if she knows how bright, colorful flowers entice pollination. Or maybe she knows how this will make her pop amongst all the green?

Now here's Little Miss Tropical Floral Explosion knocked-out after plant shopping. Her Tita Faye made the fetching flowery dress especially for her.

Behold fetching dress... against my drab yoga tank and shorts. I am so blah next to my 3-year-old girl. Haha!

blog pick - katie did

There are a couple of things I wish I could do. i wish I could sing. I wish I could draw. I wish I could sew and make pretty things. Give me a needle, a thread, some yarn, knitting sticks (see, i don't even know what they're called!) or even a crochet hook and I instantly have two left hands and ten thumbs. I'm pretty sure we had some sewing classes in high school. Where was I?

Photos from Katie Rich

Which is why I love - and love to envy! - the blog katie did. Meet Katie Rich. One wonders how she manages to entertain us with her blog, look after her three children, her home and find the time to dress her children in the prettiest creations. Hers. I am not kidding. See for yourself. Here are a few of her masterpieces. Check out the pretty little details, the bows, the sleeves, how she recycles an old scarf she knitted to make a tiny little one for her daughter. A top with five on it for her daughter's fifth birthday. Her own daughter's artwork transferred to make the coolest top. Brilliant. Adorable. Ingenious.

And so I sit here a little envious, and a lot inspired thinking maybe, just maybe, its not too late for me.

pretty little smocked dresses

I remember feeling oh-so pretty wearing my favorite smocked dress when I was small. Thirty-odd years later, that pale green dress with tiny yellow flowers is gone. But the love for smocked prettiness isn't, as it seems to be ingrained in our DNA. Or it's just classic. My little Chicha adores smocked dresses, as if she knows the kind of fine handwork that goes into them.

And she's a lucky girl. Her Tita Nana's godmother makes the best ones in town. We love Ines Moda Infantil. They even made the flower girls' outfits for my wedding. Flashback to the year 2000... those smocked dresses in gun-metal grey... lovely and adorable but rocked at the same time.

Now back to the present... our little girl is the one wearing the smocks.

When Chicha was asked to model Ines Moda Infantil's latest line of cute-couture, it wasn't hard to make her play dress-up.

It was probably like asking me to model Lanvin or something. As if. Ha! Well, our little model-for-a-day enjoyed herself. No toddler diva-ness at the photo shoot. She definitely earned her pay.

If you like the dresses, Nana has details where you can get them. No need to wait for the Negros Trade Fair - or buy them abroad in fancy-schmancy stores. Yes, they're made in the good-old Philippines. Just read Nana's post below.