African Beads

My jewelry share for today:


When a photo hunters game I joined in called for an image of "something made of wood," I instantly thought about this - a necklace made of wooden beads sent to me by mail from a Nigerian man I met online. I met him through the chatroom of the social networking site Hi5, and upon knowing I am from the Philippines and that I am a Catholic, he asked for some help regarding the seminaries. When I sent him different articles about the seminaries here in the Philippines, he gave me this necklace as this thank you gift. Well, he didn't become a priest, but currently, he is working for a charitable institution in Nigeria helping out of school youths to get back on track. He and I don't talk anymore (as he is always on the road), but I will always remember his kind gestures and how he helped in praying for my intentions.

The one in the picture is my sister. I didn't know how to take a picture of the necklace, so I asked her to model for me. If you're a friend of mine in Facebook, you will see the whole album there.

*** Jenn ***

Puso (Heart)

Minsan noong nakaraang buwan, naghanap ako ng mga imahe sa Flickr at DeviantArt tungkol sa mga puso at isa sa mga imaheng nakapukaw ng aking atensyon ay ang litrato ng isang singsing na nakapatong sa isang aklat na may anino na hugis puso. Ninais ko ring gawin ang kaparehong imahe, at dahil ako rin ay sumali sa Project 365, ang litratong ito ay kinunan ko noong ika-21 ng Enero.

{Sometime last month, I did an image search on Flickr and DeviantArt for hearts, and one of the images that caught my interest was that of a ring on top of a book with a shadow forming into a heart. I wanted to create the same image and because I am also doing Project 365, I took this image on 21 January.}

Araw iyon ng wedding anniversary ng aking mga magulang. Kung maaalala niyo ang lahok ko para sa temang pilak, ito ang mga singsing na nagmula sa mga pilak na barya. Kinulit ko pa ang aking ina para ipahiram sa akin ang mga singsing upang kuhanan ng litrato. Sa ngayon kasi ang orihinal na singsing na isinuot ng aking ina ay nakatago na dahil hindi na iyon kasya sa kanya. Salamat sa mga mababait na ka-pamilya, kahit ano'ng kulit ko, todo suporta pa rin sila!

{It's my parents' wedding anniversary. If you could remember my entry for pilak, these were the rings from my dad's silver coins. I bugged my mom so she could lend me the rings so I could take a picture of it. My mom has already kept the original ring she wore because it no loger fits her. So thankful to have nice and great family, no matter how I bug them, they're still very supportive!}

Ang imaheng ito ay kinunan gamit ang aking Sony Ericsson K800i cell phone.

{I took this image using my Sony Ericsson K800i cell phone.}

*** Jenn ***

C = Candle

Since my dad has been gone for nearly two years now, we can only light a candle for him every time we celebrate his birth anniversary. This image was captured 09 January of this year. I took it as soon as I saw my brother light the candle, then I realized it was daddy's birth anniversary. If he's still alive, it should have been his 62nd.

*** Jenn ***

Family

These were our Christmas Tree ornaments last year. Apart from the Christmas balls my sister put in the tree, I decided to create our own tree ornaments by printing 2.5 x 3.5 inches pictures and adhere them in cardboards and matted in Christmas inspired scrapbook papers. All the pictures in the ornaments are family mementos taken in 2007. That year was a tough year for us because that's the year when we lost the foundation of the family (daddy), but we have fully accepted his untimely death, and celebrating Christmas wasn't a tough thing for us to do. We still believe that Christmas is for Christ, for family, for being grateful about every detail in life - even the pains and trials. Without it, life will be very boring, I think.

We normally put up the Christmas Tree every November - in time for brother's birthday (he celebrates it November 27), so right now, I am thinking of what to do for this year... our Christmas Tree is very old and brittle now, maybe we will just buy a small Christmas Tree and I might just put little button flairs with our pictures as well.

*** Jenn ***

Pilak (Silver)

Not that I am complaining, but I find it hard that my brother and I are both members of this meme because we get to "fight" about what photos to share, and this week was the first time I encountered such hurdle when my brother voiced out the picture he will share and I was thinking the same picture!

{Hindi sa nagrereklamo ako, ngunit napansin kong mahirap palang makasama sa isang meme ang kapatid o kaya kasambahay dahil darating talaga ang pagkakataong magkakaagawan kayo ng ideya kung ano ang ilalahok na litrato para meme na parehong sinalihan. Ang tema ngayong linggo ay ang unang beses na nahirapan akong mag-isip kung ano ang ilalahok ko, dahil sa simula pa lang naunahan na ako ng kuya ko para sa temang ito.}

Since he has already "taken" the same idea, I just thought of sharing a picture of my silver ring, but I wanted this entry to be a bit dramatic, so I thought of another thing to share. I even came to a point of scanning our family picture when dad and mom celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary, but I wasn't the one who took the picture. My mind just goes into circles and I am always coming back to my silver ring, until I thought of my late father's treasure:

{Naisip ko nung una, ilahok na lang ang litrato ng aking pilak na singsing, pero gusto kong maging ma-drama ngayon, kaya isip pa ako ng iba pang ilalahok. Dumating pa ako sa puntong ninais ko nang i-scan ang family picture namin noong magdiwang ng ika-25 anibersaryo ang aking mga magulang, ngunit 'di naman ako ang kumuha ng litratong iyon. Bumabalik lang din ako sa litrato ng aking pilak na singsing, hanggang sa maisip ko ang natatanging kayamanan ng namayapa kong ama:}

Even as a child, I am already intrigued with these coins. Well, where can you see coins that have "Philippines" on one side and have "United States of America" on the other side? Very interesting, indeed!I already forgot how my father acquired all the silver coins, but from what I know, he just kept these one by one until he had a lot! My mom said maybe dad's nanny gave it to him (his nanny was an old maid). I already told since then that this I what I wanted as an inheritance, not because the coins are pure silver, but because of the history embedded in these coins. None of my family members took interest in it the way I do, so this early, I am already hogging it! =)

{Bata pa lang ako, intrigang intriga na ako sa mga baryang ito. Paano naman sa isang banda, nakatatak ang "Filipinas," at sa isang banda nakatatak ang "United States of America." Kakaiba, 'di ba? Nakalimutan ko na kung paano naipon lahat ng aking ama ang mga baryang ito, pero sa pagkakaalala ko ay isa-isa niya itong inipon hanggang sa dumami na lang. Sabi ng aking ina, malamang ang mga barya ay pamana ng yaya ng aking ama. Medyo madami-dami din ang mga pilak na barya ng aking ama, at simula pa noon, sinabi ko na sa kanya na ito ang gusto kong makuhang mana - hindi dahil pilak ang mga barya. Mas interesado ako sa history na nakapaloob sa bawat barya. Mukhang wala naman sa mga kapatid ko ang interesado, kaya ngayon pa lang inaangkin ko na ito! =)}

Just a little trivia about the coins. My parents both came from poor families, and when they got married, it was just them who shouldered all the expenses. Because of this, my late father decided to go to a jewelry maker, had the silver coins melted and mold into their wedding rings. I love their wedding rings because their names are engraved in the rings as a design. My father wore the ring that has my mom's name, and my mom wore the one that has my dad's name. Sweet!

{Isang munting trivia tungkol sa mga barya. Ang aking mga magulang ay nagmula sa mahirap na pamilya, at noong ikasal ang aking mga magulang, hindi sapat ang kanilang naipon para sa seremonya (silang mag-asawa lamang ang gumastos sa kasal), kaya ang ginawa ng aking ama ay ipinatunaw ang ilan sa kanyang mga pilak na barya para gawing singsing. Ang ganda ng singsing pangkasal ng aking mga magulang dahil naka-engrave ang kanilang pangalan sa mga singsing. Suot ng aking ama ang may pangalan ng aking ina, at ang aking ina naman ay suot ang singsing na may pangalan ng aking ama.}

*** Jenn ***

Dark

I already posted the one picture I had taken during a brown out, so I had to think of another picture. I spotted this pictures of my cats and I say, "Why not?"

Paborito (the big one) used to have a problem with the kittens, but after quite sometime, he has gotten used with the new additions in the family. I think it was Pogi (the kitten) that changed Paborito's view because Pogi would always come to Paborito, maybe because of their color. Pogi would always think Paborito is his mother and always prefer to sleep next to his Uncle Paborito. At first Paborito would pounce on the kitten, but Pogi's persistence melted Paborito's heart. Soon after, they would sleep together, and what's funny is that sometimes Pogi would nudge his head in Paborito's tummy trying to suck some milk. =) Of course that would annoy Paborito. They're so cute, eh?

Right now, Paborito's having problems again with the kittens coming near him, so this not-so-good-shot is considered "priceless." I do love seeing them like that -- a big black cat sleeping next to a small black kitten. Whenever I saw them like this, I can't help but feel good.

*** Jenn ***

Hitchin' a Ride

First time to join Odd Shots Monday meme! I have been seeing this meme in several blogs, and wanted to join the minute I saw it, but it was just now that I joined the bandwagon because I didn't think I have that much odd shots to submits. I am still a bit worried if I can feed the meme every Monday from here on out, but hopefully I can. This is one interesting meme that I just want to be part of.

For my initial offering...

This was taken last March, when we visited daddy's grave for his first death anniversary. We went to eat lunch at the cemetery (sort of a picnic), and we all know how dull and boring cemeteries can be, and for it to be lunch time, all of us got nothing to do.

Brother saw one of the cemetery's staff drive the containers that hold soil (to be used during burials), and maybe because he was so bored and wanted to do something to spark up his day, he asked me to take pictures as he sneaked up and hitched a ride on the trailers. Mom and our aunts wanted to stop brother, but he was out there running and there was just no way to stop him... and me, for taking the shots.

The trailers were a bit far and I didn't want the driver to know I was taking a picture, so I just zoomed the camera to get my shot. After I took the first shot, I signaled "OK!" to my brother, but as soon as he got off the trailer, this happened:

Instead of just sneaking, brother got busted because the trailer got unhooked! All of us were laughing so hard we just couldn't stop! Imagine how you would feel if you were my brother... oh my! But of course, the driver was kind enough to tell that the trailers weren't really that secured so he understood what happened.

Normally, it should be one photo meme, but they allow two photos to show the oddness of the picture. I am not sure if this one is allowed, though, but I hope it's allowed. I need to post these two pictures because these two pictures just go together.

Taken using brother's Canon Poweshot A460 digital camera, set to auto, zoomed 4 times.

Have a great week ahead, thanks for stopping by!

*** Jenn ***