Farm Cottage Project: The Doorstep

Last weekend, I decided to fix the doorstep outside the deck. Before, it was only a pile of gravel stones to temporarily blocked the soil from going straight to the drainage during the rainy days. As you can see, there's a drainage underneath the step.

With the help of the carpenter, we placed a cement on the problematic area. Leveled it with the rain canal but high enough to block the loose soils from flowing toward the drainage.

At first, I only think of fixing the problem so I just instructed the helper to use the spare boracay sands from one of the renovation a year ago. However, the crafty-ness in me was telling me to be a little creative. So, I decided to put a few pebble stones on it...

I neatly placed the WELCOME sign, some flowers, a heart, some swirls and a couple of rip curls (for the love of the sea, of course)...and, TADA, here is the new doorstep!

 Family and Friends...Welcome to my farm cottage house. :)

Crafty-ness with Seashells

Time flies so fast! I didn't even post a single article last month. I got busy supervising some renovations and fixing the drainage around the cottage. Anyway, moving on, I did a couple of DIY projects with my seashell collection, used jars and driftwood that were just lying around for sometime. My facebook friends already know these as I've already posted the photos on my wall. Anyway, here are the simple beach decors that I made...

I put together the different kind of seashells in an empty used jars and placed a Manila hemp twine to complete the beach inspired look of it. I got the seashells from a nearby beach where I also go for surfing and used recycled containers. This project is so easy to make, I finished this in just two hours. :)

Seashells in a jar

The other one is made of a driftwood and of course, seashells. Aside from collecting dust, this driftwood has been sitting for a while as my hat hanger. The seashells were collected from different beach trips around the country (Iloilo, Davao, Sorsogon). The candleholder that I used are capiz shell from Isla de Gigantes in Iloilo, got this in 2011.

I am happy that I was able to put my collection in good use. Hope you are, too! :)

Exploring Other Coast

Aside from being invited at a thanksgiving celebration of a friend, I went to Dahican looking for some good water time. My friends and I arrived Amihan beach camp at past 8 o'clock in the evening. It's a 4-hour trip from Davao City, so after a short introduction with the locals, we immediately went off to our tents to have a good night sleep.  

The following morning, I woke up 0n a stunning white sand coastline, with coconut trees along the sparkling turquoise waters of Mayo Bay facing the Pacific Ocean. After I breathed in some fresh sea breeze, I took my camera from my bag to capture the sunrise. I made a series of sunrise photos on my previous article Sunrise in Dahican. Indeed, mother nature did not disappoint me, the radiant sun cast a magnificent colors in the sky. It glowed like a sun setting. Maybe, the sun knew that I like the sunset more than the sunrise. So, he mightily displayed all the colors that I could enjoy in moment.  

The Dahican Beach

What to do during the FLAT season?

Everything is flat on the east coast but I don't want to ruin my beach time even if there are no good waves for surfing. So, I tried other water sports activities like paddling, swimming, snorkeling, wakeboarding, and skimboarding. Actually, I realized that there were a lot of other things to do for me. We were supposed to do some island hopping, and dolphins and whalesharks watching on our last day but the weather turned bad. It was a bit of a disappointment for us but it didn't break my spirit since I had been enjoying the company of my green fin friends every morning. An Olive Ridley turtle always showed up while I was snorkeling and, one time, a huge Hawksbill appeared. 

And of course, my stay in Dahican will not be complete without trying to ride on a skim board. Dahican is known to have the best skimboarding beach in the country and it's the place where the best skimboarders are. They are a group called Amihan sa Dahican - Amihan, a Visayan word, roughly translated to "sea breeze". I met Kuya Jun, who is the team founder and father figure. He and the rest of Amihan boys are so accommodating and really down-to-earth. Even my instructor, Sonny Boy "Bayogyog" Aporbo, the two-time winner of International Skimboarding Competition and the Asia's Best Skimboarder was so kind to teach me the basics. Bayogyog or Yogei is only 19 years old yet his commitment and determination to his passion is so extraordinary. The group practice their amazing tricks in the water daily.  

Yogei doing a frontside liner.

Yogei doing an aerial.

Yogei doing a headstand.

Yogei shows off a trick that I felt like a magician's assistant with an apple on my head! 

Faye and Zarina with the Amihans.

Posing with the future world's best skimboarders. 

I am also amazed on the solidarity and discipline of team Amihan sa Dahican in taking care of each other and of the environment. In one of our conversations with Kuya Jun, he shared about what they do -- they train hard, take care of their body and the marine wildlife. It is really a delight to see a clean beach and crystal clear water. That is why their beach is a fave place for Pawikan turtles to lay and hatch their eggs and also they have a sense of trust to the Amihan group that they will take care of their youngs.

A Day of Celebration

My friend, Journeying James, was so fortunate to be able to buy a property in a nearby area. It was a day of thanksgiving for him and his family. The locals and some of his friends from all over the Philippines joined the celebration. After a sumptuous lunch, we enjoyed a lazy afternoon chatting with newfound friends under his round tiki hut.

James with his family and mentor

 L to R: Jeff, Faye, James, Me (holding a crunchy & yummy lechon skin. hehe), Za and Shammy.

L to R: Lang, Hack, Faye and Yogei shared me their smiles for the camera.

All in all, my trip is yet another discovery, not only of a breathtaking landscape but also of the amazingly friendly people that I've met. I must say that Dahican beach is not only a haven for skimmers and surfers, but it is for all living things who loves the ocean. 

'til the next Amihan...sea turtles, sea cows, whalesharks and dolphins, see you! 

Before and After Sidetrips

Before we went to our main destination, we went for a day-tour in the Island Garden City of Samal. The island is a part of Metropolitan Davao area and is located two kilometers away from Davao City. From Davao City, we hired a cab that would take us to and around the island for a reasonable price, and so it was a relaxed tour for all of us.  

First stop was Hagimit Falls.These are several waterfalls that stream into a natural catch basin surrounded by a verdant canopy of fully grown trees, mostly of hagimit trees (Ficus minahassae) from where the waterfall got its name. The water is generally clear and appear aqua green in color and its icy cold, perfect for summer dipping. 

Then, we visited the Montfort Bat Sanctuary. It is the home to a large colony of 1.8 million Rousette fruit bats. According to the Guinness World Records, it is the largest single colony of its kind.   

While en route to Mati City, we are greeted with a beautiful view of an island that resembles a dinosaur sleeping on its belly in Badas Point, Barangay Dawan. It is called the Sleeping Dinosaur Island. This natural attraction has a total land area of approximately 579 hectares.

After our stay in the paradise, we spent another day in Davao City before flying out to Metro Manila. I was set to visit the Philippine Eagle Center, the Crocodile Farm and the Butterfly House in that couple of of days. My friends tagged along as well since they also had time before their flight. So we met Shella, a friend and a colleague, in our hostel and off we go to the PEC. I was glad that she was able to accompany us on that day because it was raining hard all throughout the trip. When we got to the parking lot, the rain stopped. Thus, we enjoyed touring around and interacting with the birds. 

The Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi) is a giant forest raptor endemic to the Philippines. It is considered one of the largest and most powerful eagles in the world. This is KAIBIGAN, showing off an attack stance.

Up close with a White-bellied Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster). I'm scared to look him in the eye. hahaha

In the Crocodile Farm, we were able to meet Pangil and the rest of his mates. Pangil, an 18-feet saltwater crocodile, is the biggest living crocodile in captivity in the country. This giant is said to be more than 60 years old. 

PANGIL which is a Filipino translation of the word Fang. 

A moment with reptiles.

Lastly, we checked out the Butterfly House. I am the only one excited to see this place but it was nice that my friends tagged along and also appreciated the small butterfly sanctuary. Butterflies are one of my favorite subject in photography and its metamorphosis from an ugly caterpillar to an elegant butterfly fascinates me. They only have a minimal collection but its enough to enchant and gently calm my day. 

All in all, I like Davao City! And it's strict compliance to 'No Smoking' ordinance. You can have the amenities of both a city and a rural area in one place. Lot of fresh fruits, seafoods, and nice places to just chill and enjoy the nature's true beauty.

   

Sunrise in Dahican

Hello there! I would like to share these photos that I took during my stay at the far end of the Philippines East Coast. I woke up at five o'clock in the morning just to witness this spectacular event of the day. And indeed, nature did not disappoint me, the sunrise painted the sky with beautiful hues. What a lovely morning to start the day by the sea. 

   

I also would like to share this photo, it was cut in the video because of the orientation but I want to show this because I drew a heart on the sand. Hahaha... Anyway, happy morning and wishing everyone a beautiful weekend ahead! :)

Coral Wind Chime

Crafty mood is on! I had a rainy day and done with the accounting books that I'd been working since Friday. So, my idea of relaxation this afternoon was to create a wind chime for my beach inspired cottage. 

These coral fingers have been sitting on the table for two months since my last visit to the white island beaches of Sorsogon. Actually, I started working on these pieces into a nice and useful decor as soon as I came back from my trip. However, my materials were not complete so the project was postponed. This time though, I have all the materials with me...So, I started on it right away and had it done by the end of the day. 

Materials: Coral fingers (39 pcs), round-shaped base, twine and scissors

I begin threading the corals using the twine. After each coral, I tie a double knot to secure it's placement onto the cord. Approximately, the distance in between each coral is about 4 inches. With the 39 pieces coral fingers, I was able to make six cords. After all the threading part, I create a loop to hang my wind chime from.

                     

Wind chimes provide beautiful sounds and create beautiful decorations. Now, it is time to hang my simple coral wind chime and enjoy it's calming wind song on my deck. 

Project Complete! ;)

Farm Cottage Project: Accents and Furnitures

Deck with the rope railing design

To continue my blog on the cottage renovation, I want to share some photos of the furniture and accents that I personally designed. I got all my inspiration from Pinterest. This site has so many great ideas and photo collection from professional designers to do-it-yourself (DIY) homemakers. I am also fortunate enough to have a carpenter that can follow instructions and really do a superb job that makes my concept into a reality. I have a thing for old wood so most of my furnitures are recycled and refurbished. Creating beautiful things from a scrap is happiness. That is why I love every piece that I put in my farmhouse. 

So, let me first show you the interior accents and furnitures. 

Attic wood spindles made of Narra. These are surplus from my parents' house during the construction of our home almost 30 years ago (right). 

And to give it a more coastal look, I used Manila hemp stranded rope as a railing design (below). Manila hemp is a hard fiber obtained from the abaca, a plant of the banana family. 

Attic with the rope railing design 

Since Pinterest's awakened my craftiness, I decided to make a headboard and a sofa from scrap and old woods. The headboard is a recycled wood from our elf trucks’ flooring. These old wood have been sitting in our storage room for a while... I got lucky to salvage these gorgeous pieces. I also found a chunk of wood in our storage, I used it as a temporary bedside platform. The wood used for the pallet-like designed sofa were scrap from the deck's flooring. This pallet sofa is a multi-purpose piece of artwork - it can be used as a bed, a books/magazine shelf, a table, or a shoe rack...how cool is that?! hehe

Pretty headboard awaits for some art paint...

Pallet sofa

The 8-seater dining table and the entry tables are all made from recycled wood. The materials for tabletop were from the wood planks used in the pond gate before and old wood spindles again used for its table legs. 

   

Likewise, recycled materials were used for the wine and glass shelf. It is made from a combination of truck and deck's flooring scrap. This one also awaits some art paint.  

A nice vintage touch of a 1950's wood storage chest from my Grandma Adelfa adds up to the beach-inspired interior decoration. I am using it as a storage and a table at the same time.

For the exterior accent, a cottage cannot be complete without these pieces - a hammock and a swing bed. The swing bed is one of my favorites. It is also made from the trucks’ flooring and from an old staircase handle. The round center table is an old Narra wood that was once used as a target shooting board by my father. The hammock is a gift from my Mom, it is made of rattan material. 

             

Okay, I hope everyone has a hammock or any lounge chair where you can enjoy a nice weekend. 

Just a peek of what I am doing now for the cottage...I am inspired on working on the landscape. Wish me luck in creating a lovely garden. ;) 

P.S. 

Coastal-inspired decor frames, shells, stuff toys and nets were from my friends (Marian, Mayleine, Zarina) and my sister, Chona. Thank you for being thoughtful...I will always treasure them.