July Workshops

Together with The Event Detailer, I am inviting you to join my upcoming Pointed Pen Calligraphy Workshop at Spoon eat + drink, BF Parañaque this coming July 23, 2016. It will be from 2:00PM to 5:00PM in the afternoon.

Workshop Fee is 1,500 pesos inclusive of materials and inclusive of materials, food and artsy place.

Materials are as follows : 1 Straight Nib Holder, 2 Beginner Nibs, Ink, Manual and Exercises.

To sign-up : http://goo.gl/forms/HUFEpM6dX94KelMC2

You can also invite your friends who are interested to learn Pointed Pen Calligraphy in this link :https://www.facebook.com/events/986450218119926/

And, I am also inviting you to join my upcoming workshop at Art & Art at Makati City this coming July 30, 2016. It will be from 1:00PM to 4:00PM in the afternoon.

Workshop Fee is 1,500 pesos inclusive of materials and inclusive of materials, coffee, snacks and artsy place.

Materials are as follows : 1 Watercolor Palette, 1 Quality Calligraphy Brush, 1 Brush Pen, Watercolor Papers and Take-home exercises.

To sign-up : http://goo.gl/forms/l0vl9ZWAoYV4lKY43

Also, you can invite your friends who are interested in learning calligraphy here : https://www.facebook.com/events/134177807009079/

March Workshops

Hi Folks!

I will be having several workshops around the Metro. And not only that, I am now offering a Hand Lettering Workshop!

The sign-up link is at the end of this post. But, before that let me have write some reminders:

1. Choose your preferred location. Just in case you will have a change of mind, send me an email at littlemsprinter@gmail.com

2. The workshop fee for the Basic Calligraphy Workshop is 1,000 pesos. 

3. The workshop fee for the Hand Lettering Workshop is 1,000 pesos.

4. Workshop fee includes materials, manuals and snacks.

5. Once you signed-up, I will be sending an e-mail using my official e-mail address littlemsprinter@gmail.com and will be texting you using my globe number. 

CLICK HERE TO SIGN-UP

HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL AT MY WORKSHOP!

Saturday Morning Thoughts

Yesterday afternoon, a post from a good friend, caught my attention. 

That's the photo he posted. The English translation simply caught my attention and tears fell from my eyes.

So what will we do?
Make love
Sure?
Yes
Excellent, I'll take off my clothes
And why are you taking off your clothes?
Well... so... we can do it
Who told you that you need to do that to make love?
Well it's what I know. It's done like that...
No, that is not love. It's possession.
I don't understand. Then how is it done?
Just leave your clothes on and let's talk till we get tired, until we try to decipher each other, until we know each other's memories, until we know each others deepest secrets, until I'm happy just by seeing you, until these eyes get tried and you tell me to sleep.
And you will force them to stay open?
Yes, only to look at you. 

(credits to Diego Galan for the Spanish Prose and the English Translation as well) 

I am a lover of letters and words. I love sending original poems and compositions to my loved ones. I am a sucker for sending intentional and personalized messages. So reading stuff like this puts me to tears and I feel like each line speaks to me and reading the entire thing again and again is mind blowing.

Since the start of the year 2016, a lot of people are asking me "bakit wala ka pang love life?" I jokingly say "walang spark." In reality, I don't encourage myself to believe in spark and chemistry when it comes to love. This is not a fairy tale, duh?!? So it ends up everyone would tell me "ipapakilala kita kay ganito. Baka bitter ka lang sa past mo." Which makes me sad because some people keeps on judging me without knowing my past, that dark past.

To be honest, I am having a hard time understanding those people who likes to rush things. I do not get it why some people love to settle in shallow seas while they have the capability to swim in deep oceans. I wonder why some people want others to treat them like a hidden treasure while treating themselves like a cheap find.

I actually fear being criticized as a "cheap woman" that's why I really try to put an effort when I dress up. I wanna look descent and worth of anyone's respect. I am careful with my actions and as much as possible, I do not entertain "green" stuff. I do not even engage myself with talks about sex and those of malice.

However, as I live that kind of life, I never realized that I was building walls of fear and I limit myself to have an open mind. I forgot that at the end of the day, it is okay to listen but doing what you know is wrong is the wrong thing. I forgot that I should allow myself to be more understanding why those things are happening.

So, when May 31, 2014 came, that worst day of my life -- that day wherein six men ruined my womanhood, framed me up, put a rape drug at my water bottle and stole my innocence. The day wherein I just want to die and get lost because of I was so ashamed of myself. I was so ashamed because I was not careful enough. I was too careful that I forgot that crimes happen anytime, anywhere and that anyone can transform as a criminal. I trusted people too much to the point that I was taken for granted.

Depression attacked me. Anxiety, loss of self-worth and bitterness became a habit for me. So I ended up not saying anything to anyone. I pretended that I am okay because I do not want to be a burden to anyone, including my family. I found security in pleasing people, I found security in pretending that I am okay. I found security from those people who praises me and calls me "beautiful". I found security from my new friends, new work and new journey.

However, I thought, I was totally okay. I thought, I was willing to forgive and forget. BUT NO. When they came back, I was so afraid. I was trying to run away, but I got tired. And just like in the story, the thought "Sige, hayaan ko na lang silang hubaran ako at dalhin ako sa kung saan man. Tutal, fuck girl naman na ako. Wala nang mawawala. Baka nga love works that way." popped up in my mind. But, THANK GOD! Someone helped me and assisted me to the nearest coffee shop. And that's the time I called a good friend of mine. She was the first one who knew what happened to me.

Help came, thank God. Also, I was able to file a case. However, I lost the case due to lack of evidence. No one wanted to testify and stand up with me. I felt betrayed. I felt that I really cannot trust anyone. I even asked God "Lord, bakit Ka ganyan? Bakit Mo ako hinayaang matalo? Bakit hindi ako tinulungan nung mga tao na pinagkatiwalaan ko?"

God answered me IN WAYS I DO NOT EXPECT. God brought people who felt betrayed. God brought me to situations that I will be betrayed more and more each day. God brought me to the lowest point of my life wherein -- I became an individualist, I hated working in teams, I quietly blame men for being "manyak", I quietly blame prostitutes, I am silently blaming media for showing that sex outside marriage is okay and group sex is merrier, I quietly blame my relatives for being adulterers, and I blame God for allowing these things to happen.

But, God didn't allow me to be in that state forever. He orchestrated me to become a part of a start-up group and He made sure that I will meet people whom I can treat as sisters without any hesitations. God even made sure that I will be equipped as He prepares me to become a full-time artist.

My heart was really shattered into pieces. That season in my life just broke me into pieces. However, all things work together for our good. That brokenness is a work in progress towards wholeness. That shattered heart is a work in progress as He make it whole again.

And because of knowing that God works that way, I am still and keep on praying that, if it is God's will for me to marry someone, that guy will tell me these lines: "...let's talk till we get tired, until we try to decipher each other, until we know each other's memories, until we know each others deepest secrets, until I'm happy just by seeing you..."

Yes. I am still afraid of heartaches. I am still afraid that probably what happened to my past will happen again. Yes. I am afraid of seeing my heart broken into shattered pieces again. Yes, I should overcome my fears but, today, not pleasing God is my greatest fear. I am also afraid that I will not be able to make an impact to other people because of my past.

But, no. This year, I will do my best to overcome my fears, I will tear down my walls and will face all the challenges that will come without any fear because God is on my side. Yes, that past will haunt me BUT I DARE TO BELIEVE THAT THE MAN WHO WILL TREAT ME LIKE A PRECIOUS GEM WILL COME, in His time.

For now, I will focus on my journey as a full time artist and I will not be afraid to share that season in my life -- for in that season, I experienced nothing but Jesus.

Folks, please pray with me that I will not breakdown again and pray that as I walk in this "work in progress" recovery, I will be ready to fall in love again soon. I will be ready to accept heart breaks again soon. For now, all I ask is, let me be vulnerable.

It's okay to be vulnerable.
It's okay to be imperfect.
It's okay to be weak.
It's okay to cry.
It's okay to ask help.

Yes, it's okay to be vulnerable.
It's okay to recognize that there is Someone stronger than you.
It is okay to acknowledge that at some point you understand that no one understands you.
It is okay to fear that no one's gonna be with you.
It is okay to depend on Someone who is Infinitely Powerful.
It is okay to say I need to see and witness something supernatural in my weakness. 

Yes, it's okay to be vulnerable because Someone who humbles Himself is willing to walk with you and make you whole again.

This journey is not really about being perfect.
This journey is about being made whole by that Someone who is watching us above and keeps on doing wonders in this world we treat as hopeless.

Before I end this, let me thank you for reading this post. Thank you for reading what my heart beats for and what my mind wants to shout to the universe. Thank you for understanding that this is my way of being courageous of saying my imperfections. Thank you for existing here on earth. May you not do the things I did wrong. May you learn how to open doors and shut doors at the same time. May you tear down your walls of hatred and the thoughts of "I will not be like those bad people because I am good." Allow yourself to be human.

"I hope that in this year to come,

you make mistakes.

Because if you are making mistakes,

then you are making new things,

trying new things, learning, living,

pushing yourself, changing yourself,

changing your world.

You're doing things

you've never done before,

and more importantly,

you're doing something."

- Neil Gaiman

January 30 Workshop Alert!

Hi Everyone!

Time really flies so fast, it feels like yesterday, I was just trying to learn the craft all by myself and now, here I am promoting my own workshop. PRAISE THE LORD INDEED!

I am going to have a workshop this January 30 from 2:00pm to 5:00pm, it's a Saturday, at Department of Coffee at Tomas Morato, Quezon City. The workshop fee is only 1,000 pesos, inclusive of materials and snacks plus friendship and freebies.

What are you going to learn? You are going to learn the Basics of Calligraphy with Basic Flourishes over great food and great coffee from our host. Also, you are going to meet new people and know my calligraphy journey of course.

To sign-up CLICK HERE.

I do hope to see and meet you there!

Spread the news folks!

2015 in Transit

Time flies so fast. I am still trying to reflect on how my 2015 went. I was actually trying to imagine if it went well or if I did well or not. I still feel nostalgic about some of the events that happened in my life. But, what I can only do is to leave my footprints and bring the memories and lessons with me.

Before I start this post, let me just emphasize my praise: THANK YOU LORD!

I cannot imagine how I survived this year full of surprises, testings, triumphs, treasures, failures, small deaths, closed doors, trash can moments, verges of giving up, bitter disappointments, loss and redemption.

If given a chance to sum up my year in one word, I will choose the word:

There are six major transitions that happened in my life this year and let me share it to all of you.

Denial to Acceptance

Last February 2015, I found out that I have an ovarian cyst. I was trying to deny that fact in my heart even if the results are already in front of me. I even burned the papers so that I can forget about it. There are days that I feel that intense pain. I cannot help myself but to cry and ask God if I can just die so that I will be naive of what pain is anymore.

I even told myself and some of my friends "If this will be cancerous, that will be awesome! At least I will not have a hard time. I will just wait for the doctors to put an end in my life." I got a lot of violent reactions, who wouldn't? I was so negative about my situation because I feel so helpless.

Despite my negativity, God never failed to remind me of how He heals and restores people, not only physically but in all aspects. So, I started praying to Him and I declared Jeremiah 31:13 in my life: "that He will turn my sorrow into joy." I started encouraging other people that GOD WILL HEAL ME. Praise God! The cyst was benign. So I stopped myself from denying the facts and just take that one step forward towards acceptance and allowing God to use that situation for His glory to be seen.

"And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord." - Luke 1:45

I am still in the process of praying for my total healing. I know, that the Lord will fulfill His promises to me in His perfect timing.

Loss to Gain

I lost some friends because of our differences and unbelief. I must say, not being able to respect another person's convictions. I do not get it why people value other people's mistakes than those memories that they've made together.

I will not be a hypocrite, I tried my best to save those relationships but, these people started labeling me as "unworthy" and they even cursed me and said a lot of discouraging words.

Of course, I am sad because I lost them. It is not easy, especially when I see them. But I realized that, probably, their purpose in my life is already over. So I stopped pursuing them and saving those relationships.

I thank God because I have gained a lot of new friends and sisters in Christ. And I am now focused on cultivating them.

Hatred to Love

I can say that this is one of the hardest transitions I can have in my entire life. I have to love those people who ruined my life, forgive those people who stole the most important part of my womanhood. I have to forgive those men who raped me and ruined my entire life. I even need to pray for them. What?!?

At first, it was really hard -- I mean VERY HARD. Hard because no one is willing to help me, no one is willing to to listen to me and lend their shoulders to me. But, still, I praise God because He gave me the strength to carry on and of course, to love and forgive and give grace.

We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother. - 1 John 4:19-21

Promotion to Resignation

I was working in a multi-international company and I was aiming for a higher position. My papers are now being processed by the Human Resources Department and I was just waiting for it to be approved.

I did everything to impress my bosses and the other managers for my promotion to be approved. However, the Lord did His perfect way of telling me to stop being prideful and being disobedient to His will.

He orchestrated everything in His perfect timing. He made sure that I am going to be ready to take the journey of being a full - time calligraphy artist.

I remember the story about the Healing at Bethesda (John 5:1 - 17). There is a scene there wherein God told the sick man "Get up, take your bed, and walk." The sick man immediately obeyed. Honestly, I had a hard time obeying when God spoke to me through a friend "Marj, sometimes, you need to allow God to close the main door and open windows of opportunities for you. God knows what He is doing, do not doubt Him. Where He guides, He provides."

So I immediately filed my resignation letter and gave it to my boss for approval. At first, he insisted. He didn't want me to resign. He was trying to convince me not to do so. However, God made a way for my boss to let me go.

"When God guides, He provides."

Ashes to Beauty

I won't deny it, I am still at that stage wherein I need to absorb everything yet, I need to be in awe of Jesus.

I know, in my heart that "I am worthless and I do not deserve all of the good things." I needed to admit that "I am not okay." But, I also need to totally surrender my heart, my ugly story and let God turn it into beauty. I need to shut the doors of depression and give up on my shattered dreams and let God work on them.

And God is still in the business of writing my beautiful story out of the ashes. What are we all seeing now is just a glimpse of it.

"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,because the Lord has anointed meto proclaim good news to the poor.He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,to proclaim freedom for the captivesand release from darkness for the prisoners,to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favorand the day of vengeance of our God,to comfort all who mourn,and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,the oil of joy instead of mourning,and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.They will be called oaks of righteousness,a planting of the Lordfor the display of his splendor." - Isaiah 61:1-3

Career to Calling

I strongly believe that I have all the credentials to have the best YOLO-ing corporate life ever. So as a fresh graduate, I took pride of it. I forgot that I need to work hard for respect. I forgot that I live in a world wherein I need to please people because I am an achiever.

I always thought that the career I had in the corporate setting is the best thing I can brag next to my Latin Honors. I thought, I can brag that I did my tasks excellently and beyond expectations.

But I was wrong in saying or thinking such things. I was indeed wrong when I said that I need to please my superiors just to get the highest position a "prideful" fresh graduate can have. I was wrong in prioritizing having a high paying job than having a fruitful job.

So God lead me to the right bible verse and people who will help me and will give me pieces of advice to overcome the struggles I have every day as a full - time artist.

Who said it was easy? No! It wasn't an easy journey. The 7 months I had were full of testings, loss, doubts, moments of giving up and debates with God.

But I praise God because He allowed me to hold 8 big workshops and several pay-as-you-wish workshops for the benefit of our brethren.

Until now, I am still in awe of how my year went. I feel nostalgic and at the same time excited for what's in store for me this coming 2016. For now, all I can say is THANK YOU. I AM GRATEFUL AND TEARS.

I wanna end this post with a wonderful testimony:

Since that day my mother carried me at her womb, until the day I came out to see this wonderful world. He is faithful. And until now, He is faithful. I am sure, my ways are different from His. But one thing is certain, He will never fail to spark that fire He has set in my heart. He will never fail to be faithful, no matter how I doubt Him. He will chase me with wonders. He will always be the "Great I Am" even if I see myself greater than Him at times. 

 HAVE A BLESSED 2016 EVERYONE!

He who was seated on the throne said,

"I am making everything new!"

Then he said,

"Write this down, for these words

are trustworthy and true."

- Revelation 21:5

Psalm Ninety Verse Twelve

Time really flies fast. It seems like yesterday, it is still 2011 – I am still in college and my Papa Jing is still alive and kicking.

But, I know that I am not dreaming.

It’s been four years since he died. And yet the memories are still fresh. I can still remember it. It wasn't surreal at all. I still wish that his death is just a dream. I still pray to God that I can accept everything as easy as counting 1, 2 and 3.

A lot of people are asking me how he died. But first, let me narrate what happened.

Last July 25, 2011 I am prepping up myself to go to school. I was excited because I was about to take my pre-final exams at Discrete Mathematics. My Papa Jing is still sleeping. And when me and my Mama Malou was shocked because I was about to go and he suddenly jumped out of where he was lying down and he said “Papasok ka na ba Jorie? Antayin mo ako. Ihahatid kita.” I told him “Wag na Pa. Malalate na po ako.” Then he quickly said “Mabilis lang.” So I waited patiently. Then he wore his not-so favorite shirt. We rode his motorcycle/scooter. And I was shocked ‘coz he is bring me to a total opposite direction and then I asked him “Bakit?” He just kept on driving until we reached a small house. That house is actually where our malfunctioning tamarraw is being fixed. He approached the caretaker of the repair shop and introduced me to him. I gave my warm smiles. Then we already went to my school. As I bid him goodbye, I just told him “Ingat ka Pa. I love you.” Then I kissed him and he left. I was at peace because he smiled at me. I watched him driving towards North. I don’t really know where he’s going. But still, I am at peace. The next thing I know was that, after 4pm the classes were suspended because that was President Noynoy Aquino’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) so I went home and gave a good news that I was one of those chosen people to compete for our Robotics contest at school (the competition happened last July 27, 2011). The evening came and my Papa Jing is not yet home. At around 11 o’ clock in the evening there was a blackout so all of us were able to sleep except my Mama Malou because she is now worried – worried because Papa Jing is not yet home. Then the next day, July 26, 2011, I got this “naalingpungatan” feeling. So I just decided to stand up and check what’s happening. My Mama Malou just hugged me and said… “Wala na si Papa mo.” – my first reaction was “Weh! Di nga? Ma, wag ka magbiro.” But when I saw Marijoy crying, I was just quiet. Then I saw the headline on the television “UNIDENTIFIED MAN” and the video just shows his body lying at the grasses and no breath at all. We all knew that it was my Papa Jing.

Papa Jing died of two gunshots – one on his liver and the second was near his right ear. Despite of how it happened, one thing is certain, I praise God since that day because I really believe that my Papa Jing has found true peace in the arms of our loving Father – the Lord Jesus Christ.

God never failed to be faithful in His promises. (Now, that's the turning point or the climax of the story!) After my Papa Jing’s loss I became a stronger individual. I became more independent and I just learned to stand on my own. I also learned how it is to turn my mourning into dancing and my sorrow into joy as what the Bible says in Jeremiah 31:13. I learned new things. I met new people. I was able to meet those people who are credible enough and those aren't credible at all. My family and I were put into life’s different testings and yet I praise God personally because we are being blessed by the Greatest Blesser of all the time. We were blessed on our chosen paths. And we praise God because His promises became more evident in each and every one of us.

Lamentations 3:22-25 "The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 'The LORD is my portion,' says my soul, 'therefore I will hope in him.' The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him."

This Bible verse has been evident to my family’s life. There came a point that people just talk about us because of the blessings that we have. Some just hates us because we are blessed but those blessings are fruits of God’s promises. We cannot have those promises if we will not be enduring our life’s sufferings. No one lives a suffering-proof life. It is impossible. Everyone needs to go through a lot of things so that our faith in the Lord will become stronger.

“If battles do not exists, then victories won’t exists either.” – Yours Truly

This is one of the things I learned as I walk this journey called life. The reason why I can say I am a victor is not because of my own battles but rather because of the One true source of victories and blessings – Jesus Christ. If He did not fought for you and me and if He did not bought you and me for a price then I personally do not know where we will be right now. Maybe everything that is in this world is just a mere accident.

But why? Without God, who will teach us how to live our lives? Without God, who will grant us favor and promotions in the right place and in the right time? And without God, who will create those things that we see right now? Let us remember that everything that we see and do is not of men but by God alone. He just gave those scientists and inventors the wisdom to create those innovations and advancements for us. God cannot give all the gifts to a single person. He created limitations for us to be able to know how to fully depend on God and His timetable.

Psalm 90:12 "Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." 

Like branches on a tree,

we all grow in different directions,

yet our roots remain as one.

Workshop Alert!

We are now starting to bid goodbye to 2015. We are now starting to plan our Christmas parties and our year-end reports, and for students they are now preparing for their quarterly exams. But for me, I wanna end the year with a blast of WORKSHOPS. YES! I am going to have series of workshops until December 12. But for now, I am going to announce the ones for this month of November.

I will be having my first ever workshop at Kapitolyo, Pasig and it will be held at the wonderful cafe that serves yummy Rainbow Cakes -- Epic Coffee Roastery, Kapitolyo this coming November 21, 2:00pm onwards. Registration fee is 750 pesos (inclusive of materials and snacks).To reserve your slot, SIGN-UP HERE (click the link and you will be directed to the sign-up sheet)

I will be having my first ever workshop at Katipunan and it will be held at the wonderful cafe that serves the mysterious and magical coffee called Magic -- Craft Coffee Revolution Katipunan this coming November 28, 2:00pm onwards. Registration fee is 750 pesos (inclusive of materials and snacks). To reserve your slot, SIGN-UP HERE(click the link and you will be directed to the sign-up sheet).

I do hope to see you all of the Calligraphy Enthusiasts either in Kapitolyo or Katipunan.

Never stop learning as long as

the world is still revolving.