Art by the Sea with Nikki Ocean x The Mobile Shack

As a philosophy, we support our Style Advocates with their passion and dreams. Nikki Ocean's dream is to live by the sea while she creates and shares her art with mother nature as her school yard. This weekend, The Mobile Shack and Nikki Ocean will be holding a Surf and Art Attack travel experience to San Juan, La Union. If you are not doing anything this weekend, sign up and enjoy surf x art with them. 

THE MOBILE SHACK 

The Mobile Shack is a surf tour company built in passion and enthusiasm of two individuals who wants to share their love for surfing, adventure and good vibe.  We take pride on our uniqueness and our different approach to surf tours and adventure by making it more personalized and packed with fun-filled experiences.

Our itinerary is different from the rest. We, at The Mobile Shack, inject interesting spots and activities along the way depending on our clients’ mood and availability. We bring you to places not only picturesque but lets you explore and experience nature at its best.

Imagine a weekend packed with adventure, surfing, beach and fun-filled interaction with the locals and your co-adventurer. We, at The Mobile Shack, commit to give you a weekend that will fuel the adventurer in you.

Email: themobileshackph@gmail.com

Art lesson by the beach.
For inquiries and reservations feel free to contact The Mobile Shack at +63 915 693 1867 or email  themobileshackph@gmail.com

"Prepping something special for my students this weekend. Praying for sunny days ahead; because by the sea is where I want to be. It's a different kind of classroom (and adventure) this time around."- Nikki Ocean

NIKKI OCEAN 

Nikki is a teacher, make up artist, writer, fashion stylist, an environmental advocate and a fashionista; but mainly she’s a visual artist whose goal is to inspire others with her love for the arts. She’s a graduate of Fine Arts from the University of the Philippines and is currently with Finale Art File Gallery. She paints with her heart, treating every canvass as a way for her to share her gift to others. In each of her paintings, she gives a piece of herself to her audience. She uses her gift to push for her social advocacies. Her main goal is to become an inspiration for the youth to pursue their creative dreams and instill in them that with hard work and discipline they can create opportunities for themselves in the field of art and culture.

Email: nikki.valenzuela@ymail.com

Keeping it real- PJV 

FITE x Metropolitan Museum Textile Festival 2015

I only found about this exhibit yesterday! And I'm a bit sad that I didn't get to register at some of workshops and talks but I look forward to attending the workshop on Metal Lace Creations with Armel Barraud this Sunday. I am crossing my fingers nonetheless, if I don't get to be able to attend the workshop, I think the exhibit will still be worth my while. 

The Renaissance exhibit opens at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila’s Tall Galleries on July 8, 2015 and will run until September 12, 2015.

For the month of July the Metropolitan Museum of Manila will be hosting the Festival International des Textiles Extra Ordinaires. This festival aims to celebrate the people, places, and traditions bound together through one of humanity’s most innovative creations: textiles. Textiles are more than just fibers and fabrics; it is a sign of civilization.  Filipinos have been known to produce natural textiles as part of their heritage and culture millennia before even being recognized as a nation. In the modern world, producing textiles is considered to be one of the top polluting industries. Romanticizing the past is one thing, but switching back to natural methods may someday be significant to a sustainable tomorrow.

 

FREE Admissions to the MET on Sunday with workshops and artists talks. Interested participants of the workshop and artist talk must send an email to info@metmuseum.ph to reserve a slot. See you at the MET! 

Festival International des Textiles Extra Ordinaires first venue was in France and was held in Vietnam the following year. In line with French National Day, FITE will be in Manila to bring, discover and share innovative design techniques to the people of the Philippines.

FITE will be around until September, and as well as having exhibits showcasing various textiles from around the world, they will also be holding lectures and workshops regarding natural methods of producing them. Artisans, weavers, and fashion designers will be passing on their knowledge to everyone willing to learn about the craft of producing textiles and products associated with it. From basket weaving to fashion shows, FITE will be have speakers coming from France, the Philippines, Hong Kong and Mexico.

 

Armel Barraud, Whispering Wires 

Personally I am looking forward to viewing the creations of French designer Armel Barraud. She specializes in using wire to create installations; presenting them as drawings. Her designs involve scenes of wrought wire, delicately made to look like they were made of lace. Her pieces are known to interact with the light, showing emotions that are stimulating and filled with a sense of transience.  

Keeping it real.- PJV

Mag-Balikbayan

“Balikbayan” is the Filipino term for “those who have returned to the country”. It is endearingly used for Filipino migrants or expatriates, who have left the country and have since returned (for a visit or to settle down for good) to the land of the Filipinos.

Balikbayan magazine is a bi-monthly travel and lifestyle magazine, which honors the sublime Philippine trait of being a gracious host to all its visitors. The magazine celebrates the spirit of adventure and transcendent experience of merging one’s soul with this vibrant nation, by presenting meaningful slivers of what it means to be Filipino. If you’re planning to visit, you can’t go without your very own copy. Enhance the international experience to the fullest as well as getting an in-depth look at what makes the country tick from within. From beautiful island destinations, food, music, fashion, and entertainment, Balikbayan Magazine is your personal tour guide.

Balikbayan is complemented with an online edition through http://www.balikbayanmagazine.com/.

Keeping it real.- PJV

Beauty in Diversity: World's Indigenous Peoples' Day

"The International Day of the World’s Indigenous People is a moment to acknowledge the vital contribution of indigenous peoples to innovation and creativity, to sustainable development as well as to cultural diversity. It is also an opportunity for all to mobilise to bridge the gaps that remain to the fulfilment of indigenous peoples’ rights. This is essential today and tomorrow, as we shape the new post-2015 development agenda."

Message from Ms Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO

The Philippines is home to a number of diverse indigenous tribes, with each community having a distinct set of norms, mores and tradition. For us at Palamuti, nothing excites us more than when we are traveling for a chance to interact with these indigenous people, and to find out more about their traditions in handicraft. Crafting has always been a part of their lives, in terms of culture and tradition, and the skills and knowledge of each tribe is passed down from one generation to the other.  Their ways of weaving baskets, bags, clothing and producing accessories; all made from natural materials, is something that we as artisans are keen on learning. Part of our vision is to be able to preserve tradition, and use them to improve our own techniques, as well as incorporating new sets of materials to our bead embroidery pieces. Reinforcing our designs and its quality is something that gives us a competitive edge globally.

In 2012, we had a chance to visit Aborlan, Palawan. During this visit, we met with a group of Tagbanuas, native inhabitants of Palawan for thousands of years, under the Aborlan Arts Program. They shared their weaving technique in making accessories using rattan, a local palm plant, as the base building material for their handicrafts. They also use different materials, mostly scavenged bones, seeds, or clay they find abundantly in their surroundings. Different stones commonly sold in supply bead stores also originate from Aborlan tribe's reclaimed natural bounty.

We went back to Palawan a couple of years later, with the intent to research more on materials innately homegrown to the province and to learn more about the different indigenous people of Palawan. Unfortunately, our time there was too short for us to be immersed in the communities. This  fuels our thirst for knowledge, and gives us more reasons to return. However, we were able to visit the 4th Indigenous Peoples' Visual Arts Exhibit by Kalinawa Art Foundation in partnership with the Palawan Museum. We were once again amazed by the creativity of the participating tribal artists. The next time we go visit, we hope that we will have more time to talk and interact with them.

Keeping it real.- PJV

Preview 1: Lily's Garden Bag Collection

     We have always thought of creating and designing bags for Palamuti, as a new line of accessories for women, to include in our product offerings. This year, we were finally able to jump start the project by redesigning a locally made bag, by giving it a new look. These totes are made from pandan fiber, an indigenous material in the Philippines, which are then crafted by Filipino Artisans from Negros.

     We decided to add our signature wire art designs using mother of pearl shells and acrylic crystals. These bags will soon be available on our website, but if you want to get your hands on these pieces now, feel free to send an email at info@palamutishop.com!

Help For Haiyan Victims

In time of calamities and disaster, Palamuti by PJ Valenciano extends further its love and compassion especially to the families affected by the recent super typhoon Haiyan (also known as typhoon Yolanda) in the Philippines.

Last week, the one of the strongest typhoon ever recorded in the world hit the said country, leaving thousands of families homeless and in need of basic necessities. Join us in our mission to reach these people who need our aid and let us give them hope in moving forward in these unfortunate times.

Palamutishop.com will give 10% of every sale, every sold product and the cash proceeds will be donated to the victims of the typhoon in the Philippines. This opportunity is now open if you are intending to participate in this effort.

Also, we will be at the Melrose Trading Post Flea Market in Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, California on November 17, 2013 from 9am- 6pm. Percentage of the sales from that selling event will also be donated to the Haiyan victims.

Be with us in this mission, let us help those who need our help. 

Travel Finds: The Allure of Aurora's Sabutan

After two years, I had a chance to go back to Baler, Aurora, a province in the Philippines with Gerard and his family. In those two years many things have changed and unlike before, Aurora has attracted more tourist local and foreign alike. The main improvement that we’ve noticed is the road. Way back in 2007, we had to pass through a long winding rough road, made mostly of dirt and gravel, just to surf on weekends.  Now more than ninety percent of the road to Aurora has been paved with cement, making the travel more comfortable.  Another development is the upsurge of new lodgings followed by now an expanded Pasalubong Center (Souvenir Shop), offering t-shirts, key chains, and other native products, as keepsakes to name a few, and most of all products made of “sabutan”. 

What really interests me the most is the upsurge in the selection of “sabutan” products offered by the vendor as souvenirs. It has been my habit to head straight to a market place when I travel. I admit it’s one of my weaknesses. I truly enjoy hunting for finds especially products unique to the locale, and meeting the artisans that made them is a bonus.

“Sabutan is a species of the Pandan plant that grows in the wilds of the Philippines. They reach a height of 6 to 12 feet its leaves turning green when mature and ready for harvesting. To create the fine and sophisticated finish, Sabutan is known for two major processes which take place: the preparation of Sabutan leaves and the weaving into fibers. The preparation of  the raw material is done in  the traditional manual fashion. Once the raw Sabutan is ready, it is dyed and hand woven into asymmetrical patterns and shapes. This produces your one of a kind design."

(http://www.mtjtraders.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=49&Itemid=54)

The locals of Aurora identify their province to "sabutan". In one of the articles I read on Aurora, Philippines portal, the promotion of "sabutan" products began in 1989 with the use of this material traced to utilitarian beginnings, particularly by farmers. I had a chance to meet some women weavers a few years ago, and I even experimented on using “sabutan” mini-pouches as packaging for my trinkets. I was also looking for a way to integrate the use of this homegrown raw material into accessories. Unfortunately, this vision never materialized, but I was glad to know that the weavers finally expanded the range of “sabutan” products into bags, fans and hats to belts, headbands, earrings and necklaces sold at affordable prices. A pair of earrings was sold at PhP25.00, while the necklaces cost PhP100.00. I was in bargain paradise!   

In an article by Manila Bulletin, Aurora registered a surging 1300% increase in tourism arrival for the last 6 years. We wouldn’t be surprised if more and more people discover the natural beauty that Aurora has to offer in the coming years. It truly is a wonderful destination with wonderful people and local products to boot.- PJV

Read related articles on “Sabutan”
Vanishing Plant Yields for Aurora Folk
http://batangbaler.net/2006/10/08/sabutan-a-highly-priced-fiber-in-the-world-of-high-fashion/

Palanan: Sabutan Products

http://www.palanan.org/sabutanproducts.html

Summer Forever: S/S2012 Trends

We are a country blessed with perpetually long summers. Summer inspired outfits will never go out of style. Here are some style tips from Bloomingdale's Fashion Directors, Stephanie Solomon and Brooke Jaffe. 

Spring & Summer Fashion 2012 Trends: Printed Jeans & Tribal Prints

Style Tips: 

Trend # 1: The New Printed Jeans

1) Look for artistic and abstract prints 

2) Color block your bag or shirt 

3) Go nude or light-hued when it comes to shoes

Trend # 2 :  The New Printed Look

1) Pair prints with subtle extras 

2) Keep it current by adding white- not black 

3) Take your wardrobe cues from the bag hues

Trend # 3 : The New Tribal Print

1) Chandelier earrings and gold jewelry take you from beach to black tie 

2) Pair with organic materials- a crochet top or woven sandals 

3) Accent with neon. Underpinning! A bold clutch!

Women's Spring & Summer 2012 Fashion Trends (1920s/1950s Inspired) 

  Style Tips: 

Trend # 1: The New 20s

1) Get deco with drop earrings

2) Think sequins

3) Fit is key! Keep it feminine and flirty

Trend # 2 :  The New 50s

1) Add a neon pop with a cardi

2) Sunglasses are a must! Cat's-eye or classic Ray Bans

3) Make it modern with a leather jacket and white pumps

Spring & Summer Fashion 2012 Trends: Tips for Color Blocking Outfits

Style Tips: 

Trend # 1: Color Blocking

1) Balance brights with neutrals, warm with cool

2) Slash it with a bold bag

3) Add a pop of neon with your shoes

Trend # 2 :  The New Color-blocked Bag

1) Update your basic black bag with a lady-like color-blocked purse

2) Take your wardrobe cues from the bag's hues 

3) Contrasting neutrals are an easy way to try the trend 

Spring & Summer 2012 Fashion Trends: How to Wear Neon Colors 

 

 

Style Tips: 

Trend # 1: Neon

1) Balance brights with neutrals, warm with cool

2) Slash it with a bold bag

3) Add a pop of neon with your shoes

Trend # 2 : The New Neon Scarf

1) Neon + Print = the new everyday essentials

2) Make it adorable! Turn your scarf into a top

3) Take it from the boardroom (around your neck) to the beach (as a cover-up)!