Creativity – Katrina Karen

My Journey to the 35th Kulay Sa Tubig

August 10, 2023

by Kat with No Comment Creativity

I learned about Kulay Sa Tubig when I started following watercolor artists on Instagram. Once you follow one, the algorithm suggests another one. I learned that most of the Filipino watercolorists I admire have joined or won in Kulay Sa Tubig. At the back of mind then, I was wondering how I can be part of it.

So what is Kulay Sa Tubig?

Kulay Sa Tubig is the Philippines’ longest running and most prestigious invitational watercolor competition. This year is their 35th year of the competition which was started by Gallery Genesis’ founder, Araceli “Chichi” Salas. Dexter Matilla wrote that for almost four decades, the Kulay Sa Tubig Invitational Watercolor Competition by Gallery Genesis has remained as the highest standard by which Filipino aquarelle artists are measured- techniques, composition, precision, balance and the choice of subject are scrutinized by the most discerning eyes.

Every year, Gallery Genesis screens first-time artists to join the competition.

Two years ago, I saw a call for entries for Kulay sa Tubig. I sent my portfolio then and got a rejection letter a few days after.

The rejection email was my motivation. I also understand why I got rejected. In the early 2021, the art activities I have done then were the online auctions in support for COVID-19 frontliners. I have just joined the Philippines Guild of Watercolorists (PGW). I have not participated in any PGW activity yet. I have not really shown my art with fellow watercolorists. I have not gauged my skill level. I was an overzealous kid who thought she was ready to compete with the best artists. The universe has a way to put me in my place.

So for the past two years, I focused on improving my art. This is something I love doing so I might as well push myself to be better at doing it.

I joined Hues of Hope in 2021. It was juried exhibit and I was fortunate to be included to participate in the physical exhibit.

I joined Mindanao Art in 2021 with this watercolor piece as an entry.

I enrolled in Emmanuel Silva’s Masterclass to improve my skills. By the way, Sir Emman is one of the top 5 watercolorists in the 35th Kulay sa Tubig. He also had awards in the past Kulay sa Tubig competitions. Look at his winning piece! Magnificent!

I joined the Japan International Watercolor Institute’s International Watercolor Exhibition 2022 online.

I joined the PGW Pagsibol exhibit in 2022. I got a Vendor’s Choice Award. I got a Daniel Smith Alvaro Castagnet watercolor set as a prize.

I got accepted to join the Fabriano in Acquarello 2023 International Exhibition in Italy.

My painting was shipped there together with other artists’ entries. This is the photo of the actual exhibit.

I was thrilled to be selected as 1 of the 8 finalists from the Philippines for the International Masters of Watercolour Alliance’s 2023 Goddess of Beauty International Watercolour Online Exhibition celebrating International Women’s Day.

All these juried exhibits that I joined in gave me confidence to try my luck again in the 35th Kulay sa Tubig screening. I sent my portfolio and other requirements when I learned about the call for pre-screening for first-time artists (those who have not participated in the competition) .

Imagine the thrill I got when I received this email.

I passed the first round of screening! It is a great improvement from two years ago. The second round was an interview process and at the end of the interview, I was asked to submit a piece for approval.

So I reflected hard on what to paint. During the interview, Gallery Genesis President Patrice Salas said that Maam Chichi took notice of my white flowers. I knew I had to paint flowers. I was thinking of sampaguita (jasmine). I had painted a piece before. However, I do not have a new reference photo. Our own sampaguita in the garden has not yet bloomed. I thought of white santan and looked through my photos if I have one. For exhibits like this, I always want to use my own photos or photos take by friends where I can get their permission explicitly. The problem is I do not have a reference photo in my file. I remember going to Butuan National Museum and noticed the santan bushes. One afternoon, I specifically went there to take photos of santan. There were no white santan clusters so I settled for the pink ones. I picked three photos and combined them to come up with a composition I like.

These are my progress photos.

I added ants for fun. I remember last year that I painted santan for a collector and he suggested to put ants as an “easter egg” like in video games (something to look for). A friend also suggested before to put animals to my floral pieces to add interest and movement. So, here is my final work.

The overthinker in me created another piece so that Gallery Genesis has something to choose from. I also submitted a week before the deadline so that if none of my pieces gets the approval, I still have time to paint another. Yes, that is how I wanted to be part of the Kulay sa Tubig so badly. Good thing, they chose the santan.

The title of my piece is Santan Foragers. Can you spot the ants?

For this piece, I wrote: My art is always a form of storytelling about the world around me. What seems to be a whimsical and nostalgic ode to my childhood memories of sipping the sweet nectar of the santan flower has turned into a reflection of how I find inspiration in nature. These tiny ants may be unnoticeably small but behind their miniscule size lies strength, perseverance, hard work and commitment in achieving a goal. It is something I aspire. It is beautiful how nature has a way of teaching me the calm, quiet grace and veiled astuteness of an ant and the generous character of a santan (by producing multiple clusters of flowers that we can enjoy).

During the interview, Ms. Patrice asked me if I would be attending the opening if I get selected. I said, “Yes!”. I had purchased Cebu Pacific Travel Passes in anticipation of the art activities I wanted to attend in Manila this year. Talk about manifesting!

So last July 31, 2023, I was in SM Megamall Fashion Hall for the opening of the competition/ exhibit. I took a photo before the opening. I saw my painting from afar. Kilig!

I went before 6 p.m. and immersed myself with all the art. I tried not tear up with the thought that I was accepted to compete with these artists. I really feel honored to be part of this competition. So many awesome art! My heart is happy.

This is my favorite piece and it is one of the Top 5. I am really drawn towards realism and, for this one, I took a closer look. I wanted to learn how to paint light. One day, I am going to try it.

I was there when the Top 5 entries was announced and I was able congratulate Kevin Lacanaria. I was standing two feet behind him when his name was announced last of top 5 watercolorists this year. He really cried when he heard his name. I read his story and something resonated with me. Like me, his first attempt to join was in 2021 and he did not pass the first round. Unlike me, he tried again last year and passed. This year, he really made it his goal to be at least one of the runners up. He got one of the top honors. What an inspiration! He is an example that if you set goals and work hard to reach that goal, eventually, God, the universe or whatever supreme being you believe in will lead you to it. This is also proof that Kulay Sa Tubig levels the playing field for watercolorists. Whether you are a seasoned or a young artist, you are given the same platform and opportunity to showcase your talent and compete. Thank you, Gallery Genesis!

During the opening, I also met PGW members I used to only see online. I was happy to meet Ms. Joanne Gacayan, Ms. Le Sanchez and Mr. Arvino Yanuario.

I am thankful for friends who came to visit the exhibit: Sir Fred, Wilbert, Karen, Alan, Hannah and Sir Bogs.

I hope to join again next year. My inspiration cup is overflowing. Thank you, Gallery Genesis!

10 Things I Learned from the Watercolor Florals Masterclass

January 28, 2022

by Kat with One Comment Creativity

Early October last year, I learned that Emmanuel Silva was offering a watercolor florals masterclass. I have been following his Facebook page and he paints realistic watercolor art. I really wanted to learn how. Flowers are the subjects I paint the most and I wanted to paint them realistically so I enrolled.

Classes were conducted online through zoom. There were six reference photos to be turned into a watercolor pieces. At least two 4-hour sessions per week were devoted to the lesson. In case I missed a session, videos of the lessons were saved in a Google classroom which I have a lifetime access. The advantage of being present while the teacher paints was that I could ask questions which he could instantly answer. We did have a messenger group where one could also ask questions to the teacher or chat with other classmates. Before each session, the teacher posted the reference photo, his pencil drawing of the reference photo and the materials to be used.

The first piece was the terry flared tulips. The special feature of the piece was that there was a crochet doily on the table and it required the use of a masking fluid. A masking fluid is a liquid you can paint on an area that you do not want to be colored. The fluid leaves a thin film on the paper that prevents pigment from seeping which can be removed when it dries.

This was the first time I used a masking fluid.

This was how it looked when removed.

I clearly missed some parts that were supposed to be masked. I had a clear masking fluid so I thought I masked them all.

Because I missed some areas to be masked, I got specks of the background in the petals. The doily also looked like it had some rips because of the unmasked parts. Let us just say that this is part of the charm of my piece. Ha! I continued following Sir Emman’s video until I finished it.

I gave this artwork as an exchange gift in a Christmas party with other artists. Another artist can now nitpick on my mistakes. Ha! I am a brave one. I should have thought this through when I chose a work as exchange gift.

The next piece was white peonies on porcelain. The special features of this painting that I must be able to work on were the white blooms, porcelain jar and the velvety fabric.

I botched the fabric.

This was the first time I learned about glazing in watercolor. Glazing is adding a wash over an underpainting. The underpainting sets the tone of the piece and when it dries, another transparent wash is painted over it to get the final color. Final color pops. In my case, I forgot to let the underpainting dry. When I applied the wash, the underpainting was wiped off with my strokes. Arggh.

Lesson learned. I just painted it the way I would paint it had I not taken the class. I need to be mindful of the mistake next time.

The third painting was the one with yellow daffodils. The special feature of this painting were the yellow daffodils, earthenware jar and the wooden table.

Knowing how I botched my cloth in the previous piece, I was careful this time around.

I realized also that I do not have that much yellow pigments in my watercolor selection of tubes.

For now, I just have to make the most of what I have.

The fourth piece was the white glory bush. The special features of this piece are the dewdrops and the dark, shiny leaves. This is my best output in the masterclass. (Ako lang ang judge, guys. hahaha ) After this, I felt like I can start painting all the reference photos in my files all these years.

I was amazed how the dark shiny leaves were done-just quick strokes, pure pigment and lots of confidence- that it would turn out okay.

This photo is the proof that I really did this painting. Hahaha

I love the bokeh effect of the background. (Buhat bangko moment haha)

The fifth piece was the one with roses, peonies and mocks. This is the only piece that the teacher did not use a masking fluid to protect the blooms. I tried to keep the background as light as possible that when I left it to dry I thought I had wax paper over it when I glanced over it.

Instead of masking, the teacher used a wash of the background and lifting the paint in the blooms part. Lifting the paint is done by removing the wash with a clean brush and clean water.

Of the six reference photos, this is the piece I wanted to paint the most. I like the colors and the dreamy feel of the piece. Of the six pieces, this output is the least that I like. I was not precise with the lifting of background to make way for the blooms. I missed a few spots because I can no longer see the pencil marks. I was painting by following the teacher’s strokes. I was also not that careful with adding another layer of wash that it does not look as flat as I wanted it to be. Maybe I will go through it some other time and correct my mistakes so for now, this is how it looks.

Christmas time came and I don’t know why I was swamped with things to do. The holiday came like a blur but my heart was happy. I was only able to do the 6th piece by mid-January. By this time, the masterclass was long over and I was trying to get my painting groove back as I have art pieces and commissions that I still have to do this year.

The sixth piece was an assortment of blooms in a glass jar. The special features of this piece were the varied blooms, foliage and the dark green background. I did not check the color guide in the google classroom. I just followed the video and when I did not have the perylene green pigment, I just mixed the greens that I have so I ended up having a lighter shade.

I still forget about the wash covering the pencil marks that I no longer got to see which parts I was painting. I was following the teacher’s strokes and just hoped for the best.

I have finished all 6 paintings and I am writing down what I have learned so I won’t forget.

1. Ultramarine blue and burnt umber make grey. Before the masterclass, my most used pigment is titanium white. In all the pieces, we did not use any whites or blacks. It makes sense not to use white because the paper is already white. Before, I used titanium white to correct my mistakes (like a correction fluid?! Ha). Now I know better.

2. Wet the back of the paper. Making sure that the back of paper is wet when painting is an assurance that the piece lay flat and that the paper expands and stretches well. I used to be a tight painter. I used to paint with small brushes and paint small strokes at a time so I can avoid the warping so I seldom have a wet paper. Now my problem with buckling is solved with wetting the back of the paper. I just have to make sure I am using 100% cotton 300 gsm watercolor paper.

3. Wet the front surface of paper before painting if you want gradient. If you happen to notice my previous pieces, I usually fill my paper with subjects. I do not have a background because my background tends to have streaks because I do not wet it beforehand. Now I get beautiful gradient as background.

4. Get a colored masking fluid. Schmincke has a blue one. I should get that before I start doing watercolor paintings on my own. I have a clear one and I tend to miss some spots because I thought I already applied it.

5. Angular brushes are wonderful tools. I used to be a round brush person. Size 2 and 4 natural round brushes are always in my arsenal. Now, angular brushes are my frequently used brushes. It is easier to create defined edges and lines with angular brushes. Brushes are expensive but I think I need a few more. I have yet to decide what sizes I need next.

6. A good drawing makes a lot of difference in realistic paintings. The teacher gives us access to the reference photo and his drawing. It is really hard to achieve a realistic watercolor floral painting without drawing the subject first. The botanical parts require precision to be realistic. I still use grids in drawing. It must be nice to learn proportions by constant practice without using grids. I hope someday I will be able to do that. I should try to sketch every day.

7. Use the darker pencil when doing the final drawing. My drawing was often unrecognizable after painting the background wash which made it difficult for me to determine which part I was painting. I should use darker pencil over the sketch. Also, when I removed the masking fluid, the sketch was removed as well. In the video, the teacher would patiently redraw the initial sketch while I just draw half-heartedly. I was too eager to paint that I just do a rough sketch over the initial detailed one.

8. Patience is great virtue to develop. There are art pieces that took the teacher more than two sessions to finish. There are a lot of waiting to dry, wetting, changing water and testing the mix. Plus, there is also strategizing what steps to take: should masking fluid be used, which area to mask, what pigments to use, which parts to start painting. The teacher would say be careful in this area you might paint over the highlights or this pigment may be difficult to lift. In my mind, I would say, “Nah, I like to be reckless.” Not really. Sometimes, I was just not patient enough.

9. Learn the properties of the pigments. I only learned recently about transparency, granulation and staining colors. Different pigments have different chemistry that I am still not familiar with. I do not do swatches of the pigments that I have. I should try to do that because it helps to know them and not repeatedly commit errors. Pigments are also expensive. It would be a waste to just randomly mix colors without prior understanding of the outcome.

10. Learn, unlearn, relearn. There were things that I used to do with watercolors that I need to unlearn in order to be open to new learnings. I might relearn them in the future and find my style and techniques. My art is the amalgamation of everything I learned, unlearned and relearned. My ultimate goal is finding joy in what I do. And there is joy in finding ways to be better with what I do. Thanks to this masterclass.

Here’s hoping that I would be able to paint more this year!

Hues of Hope: The 4th National Watercolor Convention and Juried Members Exhibition

September 30, 2021

by Kat with One Comment Creativity

I joined the Philippine Guild of Watercolorists this year.

I was a member of the Facebook group even before I officially joined the organization so I had a feel of what the organization is like. There were many demos and paint along activities all geared towards the improvement of one’s skill. I like that.

When they had call for submission of artwork for a juried exhibit, I wanted to join. The deadline seemed achievable for me so I started planning my piece. The theme was “Hues of Hope” and it is open for artist interpretation.

We all need a tiny speck of hope in this pandemic. I am partial to botanical subjects so I tried to recall what sparked hope for me. I remember my cousin, Azenith, who is still actively working in the frontline in fight against COVID-19. At the beginning of the pandemic, she was stationed at the city’s command center. It was a bare hall since it was setup just for what seemed like a temporary space for emergencies. The mood was somber with looming uncertainty in the atmosphere. She started to bring flower arrangements from our garden to brighten the space. I asked her to send me as many photos as she can for future reference photos. This was in 2020. Little did I know that I would use her photos as inspiration for the exhibit.

These are some of the photos she sent me.

So I created my artwork based of her photos.

I am a tight painter and I do not like spaces. Ha! So the 15″X22″ were filled with pigments.

This is the piece I submitted.

It was a juried exhibit and there were only 55 paintings chosen for the physical exhibit. I am happy that my painting was chosen!

I was thrilled.

The exhibit opened on September 2, 2021 at LRI Design Plaza in Makati City. The opening program was done online due to quarantine restrictions.

This is my first physical exhibit and I won’t be able to visit. I requested my friend to visit the physical exhibit and he sent me these photos.

Hues of Hope is not just a juried exhibit. It is also a watercolor convention. The organizers had lined up a month-long activities-filled calendar. I registered as a participant to get access to the valuable content that would improve my watercolor skills.

I purposely availed of the access that expires by the end of September to force myself to be present in every activity.

No regrets. All the the activities are worth more than the convention fee I paid. I learned a lot and I am excited to apply them to my future art pieces.

Here are the things I learned:

1. I paint with too many strokes. As a tight painter, I am fond using size 2 brushes even with a full sheet watercolor paper. I would take me a week to finish a piece. Imagine my relief to finish a still life painting in 3 hours. This was my output for an on-the-spot still life painting activity. I should try harder to showcase the transparency of watercolor.

2. I can let loose. This is my first paint-along output with Mr Gejo Jimenez doing the demo.

3. I need angle brushes. Ha! It is amazing how Mr Emmanuel Silva did his brush strokes effortlessly and the result was realistic florals. He was using angle brushes. I was following his strokes and mine did not turn out as good. As a botanical painter, I always use small round brushes to get it right. I should practice more.

4. It feels good to be around likeminded individuals who share your interests. Whenever I could, I would join the group zoom activity. These were the on-the-spot painting contests. Even if I did not have a chance winning against these people, it was the fun atmosphere of painting with others that drew me to the activity.

5. I should not be afraid of painting figures. I always choose botanicals for subjects because figures scare me. The demo from Mr Art Cunanan helped me ease through subjects that I avoided. As long as an activity does not affect personal safety and health, it is always good to try something new.

6. I should not be afraid to commit mistakes. In the demo by Sir Uhky-Uhky Estremos, he talked about telling your story, knowing your intentions, not to fear mistakes, to feel good and be happy.

7. I can paint with my left hand. In one fun on-the-spot painting contest, we were all required to paint with our non-dominant hand. The organizers made sure that the non-dominant hand was used by checking them beforehand. We were made to write with our left and right hands and masking tape was placed on our non-dominant hand so that it can easily be identified in the video that we are using it all the time. I even signed with my left hand. Thus, the wobbly signature.

8. I can try to be spontaneous. It is amazing to see how fast Ms Yuko Nagayama worked on her piece! She said that arranging the composition took 60% of her time since she paints using real objects in front of her as reference.

I can relate with Ms Yuko when it comes to not cleaning the palette. This is my palette. Much of the green was from the large piece I did last month.

9. Familiarize the subject I am painting. Mr Jayson Yeoh said that the shortcut to being good at what you do is practice, practice, practice. Practice does not really end. His strokes were quick and I saw the abstraction but his whole piece magically transformed before my eyes. Honestly, I thought I wasted my paper trying to follow his style but I am glad I did not give up so easily. I am happy with my output.

10. I must try painting portraits again and again. I watched Mr Dino Pajao and Mr Gilbert Miraflor’s demo but I always avoid painting people. Finally, I tried Mr Dan Macapugay’s demo. I hope I remember tips on color combinations for skin tone and leaving whites. I need to practice, practice, practice the drawing part. This output does not look like the reference photo. Ha!

There were a lot more demo artists and talks other than those I mentioned above. I love how the artists talked about their art process as well as the life lessons on being happy, sharing your talent, continuously learning, telling stories, knowing your intentions, being spontaneous, knowing yourself and a lot more. I love how humble they all are. They do not rest on their laurels. They do not shove their achievements to your face. Instead, they let their works speak for them. It is truly inspiring to hear them speak and observe them work. I hope to apply everything I learned to my work and in my life.

I am truly grateful for this convention. The convention activities came at the perfect time. I had something to keep me at home and keep my mind off the rising COVID statistics in my city. Hospitals were full. Oxygen supply was scarce and I was waiting for the 2nd dose of my Sputnik vaccine to arrive. (I got fully vaccinated on September 27!) The convention was my saving grace- Hues of Hope, indeed! Thank you to all those who worked hard to make this convention a success. I felt like I found my kind of people. Thank you for the new Facebook friends, art inspirations and life lessons! My heart is full!

The convention ended today, September 30, but the physical exhibit is still ongoing until October 31, 2021!

And in case you want to join us in PGW, this is the link: https://phguildofwatercolorists.com/register/membership/

How I Did Three Versions of One Painting

September 21, 2021

by Kat with No Comment Creativity

There is always a story behind every artwork I do. Sometimes, the story would be “I just like to paint this” and sometimes the story presents itself like this piece.

My friend wanted something to put on her wall so that she has painting as a background for her Zoom meetings. I think this request came last year and I only fulfilled it this year. I saw how she set this up in her office. I guess it was no longer for Zoom work-from-home background. Oops, I delivered too late.

Her instruction was to paint something nationalistic. She also wanted something she can readily mount on her wall. This means that I have to paint on a canvas using acrylics. Acrylic is not really my first choice of medium. I am primarily a watercolor artist. I had to rely on what I think would work with my acrylic painting skills. I had to plan what would represent a nationalistic painting given the limited subjects I have done before.

Planning this painting required much thought. There is a theme I need to convey: nationalism. This made me think about the history and culture lessons in school. Ha! So this was my thought process:

1. There must be flowers. I like painting flowers. Maybe, I should paint sampaguita.

2. How about the Philippine flag? Why should I paint a Philippine flag when she can actually hang one on her wall? Ha!

3. How about animals? Carabao, tamaraw, tarsiers, Philippine eagle, perhaps?

4. If I put flowers and animals, is that nationalistic enough? I should put a person with hand on the chest to show respect for flag.

This is what I initially came up with: a field of plants strategically positioned to look like a Philippine flag with Mt. Mayapay in the background. I pushed to paint a person with hand on the chest. I browsed through my friend’s Facebook photos and decided to put a woman with the same dress as her. I added the sash because I saw in one event of her office that they used sash for their honored guests. The woman in the painting does not look like my friend though. I just painted a random face that is formed from my brushstrokes. I figured that she may not want her face in a painting that could be seen in a Zoom call. I added the Philippine eagle because I wanted to fill the space with different subjects.

The red plants are mayanas which supposed to be bounded by a fence made of T’nalak weave of the T’boli. I had trouble replicating the pattern using acrylic so I made a decision to change it to green plants, adding dark blue as shadows. I added white fence as border to make the color pop. On the foreground, I painted white orchids.

It was supposed to be a field of sampaguita but I have not seen a field of sampaguita ever. I do not think it will look like an all-white field. I think it would be patches of greens with specks of whites for the flowers.

I showed the progress of the painting to my friend to check if this is what she had in mind.

She was kind of uncomfortable with the woman I painted because she identifies with her even if the painting did not look like her. (“I think that is me.”) I understand how she might feel awkward because it would seem like she displayed a portrait of herself in her office- a government office, that is. She said she does not mind changing the person into a painting of her son.

So I changed it to a boy in a barong.

But I am not happy with the way I painted her son. The advantage of using acrylic is that I can change and correct it by adding layers of paint. So I changed it again to a woman with her back turned and facing the views.

I think it is nationalistic to nurture and be proud of the beauty of our country.

And that is the story of this painting that has layers of paint underneath. The textures produced on the surface became the visible proof of the heart and soul I put into it. Cheesy much? Ha! The painting was already sealed with a fixative. This is the final piece.

That ends my short art talk. Hehehe! Till next time!

My COVID Stories: Home Repairs and Spring Cleaning

April 25, 2021

by Kat with No Comment Creativity Life

For more than ten years, I have been using a toilet and bath that has a defective flush, uncovered shower drain and leaking sink. Our toilet flushed so well when it worked before because Papa, the mechanical engineer, configured the toilet system with vent pipes. He explained the configuration to me before when I asked why our toilet flushed better than the other house but I forgot the science behind it. Don’t ask me the details. The problem with ours then was that we needed to change the toilet bowl itself. Rust developed and the tank could no longer carry water for flushing. So, for more than ten years, I was using a pail of water to flush my toilet. Yes, more than ten years.

Family and friends who stayed overnight in my house knew this. I had family and friends from first world countries who had to contend with my lousy toilet. They endured the inconvenience and I never heard them say anything bad about their stay. You know you have friends for keeps when they remained friends even after subjecting them to a primitive toilet system.

Finally, I decided to do something about it this year. Since I have been living with an ugly toilet for years, I went beyond the bare minimum and decided to really make it beautiful. I was not aiming for just a repair. I wanted a makeover.

This was day 1 of my toilet renovation. Workers removed everything and started working on the floor and walls. I did not take a “before” photo because that would ruin whatever good reputation I have. Makadaot ug dungog! Hahaha. It was that bad.

I have a 1.8 meter by 1.5 meter toilet and bathroom space. It is fairly small but the space is enough for me. Without further adieu, this is my finished bathroom.

I bought a pre-fabricated enclosure from a hardware store so I do not have to scout for suppliers or contractors for the enclosures.

I also chose a narrow sink to save space. The sink is so narrow that I had to gingerly wash my face. Bawal malaki ulo sa sink ko, guys. Hahaha I also found a narrow cabinet from a home store for my toiletries and towels.

And I now have a manual bidet. Tabo no more!

I kept our old louvered door but opted to turn it to sliding one to save space.

My toiletries are very minimal.

While the workers are still available, I took advantage of tapping them for the minor repairs in my house. I had my leaking roof fixed and some parts in the ceiling had to be replaced. I also had the cabinets in my parents’ room repaired. The house was infested with termites years ago and the damages on the cabinets are still there so I had them fixed.

Fixing the cabinets meant I had to unload everything in it. I still have some of my parents’ things. It has been more than 10 years since they have passed away.

These are the interesting things I found and each piece has a story to tell of the life we lived.

I found my toy train and letters from friends.

I remember Papa asking me what I wanted him to buy in Cebu. He and my cousin, Kuya Edwin, went to Cebu to buy materials for the construction of my aunt’s house. I told him that I wanted a toy train since the impressionable child in me saw in a book an illustration of children playing with trains. Papa, the educator, had to chime in that the men on the moon went to Cebu to buy me a toy train. (Papa’s name is Neil. Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin, gets?)

I live in Butuan City but I spent my high school in Davao. During summer vacations, I wrote letters to friends to keep in touch with what was happening with their lives. In these letters specifically, they wrote about where they would be enrolling for college.

Speaking of college, I found some IDs I had in college. The library of the UP College of Science then went digital. Library cards were replaced with Borrower’s ID with bar code. And I used to have a student’s discount card for Philippine Airlines. Plane fares are expensive. I only used this a few times when I traveled alone. I usually traveled by ship if I had someone to accompany me.

I also found my ballet costume. I had ballet lessons for a year and it was supposed to train me to have a better posture. Indeed, I had a better posture when I dance. I could do the pirouettes, plies, arabesque, jete and others. I was told I was a graceful dancer but when I am not dancing, I am back with my bad posture. Ha!

This is my aunt’s maid of honor dress that she used during my parent’s wedding. The little girl is my cousin who will be turning 50 soon. (I will not identify who she is. In real life, she looks way younger for her age. )

This is my Mama’s wedding gown and Papa’s coat. My parents would have celebrated their 47th wedding anniversary this coming May.

I also found my father’s job acceptance letter. I was 5 months old when he got a new job at a match company. He was paid Php 950 a month then. I hope it was enough to feed an infant who drank milk like it was water. I was an S26 (milk brand) baby.

I also found a few of their old passbooks. My parents always had a bank account even if their savings were minimal.

Owning a refrigerator then was a big deal. They were issued with a Certificate of Ownership.

Owning a stereo system required a deed of sale. Wow.

I still have that unit but the different parts are now used as a tables.

The stuff I found gave a glimpse of how my parents took good care of their things.

I am lucky to inherit their things.

This was my mama’s dresser even before she got married.

I replaced the mirror, changed the knobs and repainted it. I am now using it in my bedroom.

There were also things I needed to let go.

This was my parent’s bed. It had been my bed since birth. (I slept in their room until my father’s death. Papa had a separate bed in the room).

This used to be our setup. Mama and I slept in the big bed;Papa in the small one. (My Mama had separation anxiety when it came to me. I was away for school for 8 years.) When Mama died, I slept in the big bed alone and Papa still slept in his bed.

When my father died, I moved to my room but I brought with me the top mattress of the bed.

That is the only bed I had …until recently. The springs were already poking me. Before tetanus kills me, I decided to replace the bed.

I had the carpenter customize the bed for me. I wanted lots of storage space…

…and an upholstered headboard. Voila!

Since I wanted a makeover, I decided to rearrange things.

This was how my bedroom used to look which, I think, was already cozy.

This is now my new bedroom with my new bed and mama’s dresser. It is more functional this time around. I painted the artwork so that I have my own art in my own room. I moved my photos over my bed to a different area in the room. The photos still need to be updated. I have new nieces and new dog.

As a postscript to all these stories of repairs and spring cleaning, I also found the house plans that my father kept.

My father had these plans made when he and mama planned to buy a lot in a good subdivision here. They were not able to buy the lot because the money they saved for it was used to help my grandparents redeem their pawned property.

This was supposed to be our house.

I am kilig that they labeled it “daughter’s bedroom”. My room!

My parents acquired another lot in another subdivision and Papa also had a plan drafted.

And there’s the daughter’s bedroom again. Excluding their planned walk-in closet, my room is bigger than theirs. Awww.

I have always wanted a bedroom on the second floor.

But life is what happened when we are busy making other plans.

We did not live in a subdivision. My parents already sold that subdivision lot. We live in a small house in a small barangay. My bedroom is not on the second floor but I would not trade our house for another house. This is home. This will be my home for as long as God allows me.

Oh, I realized my father did build me a second floor bedroom even though I do not live there. I was even part of the planning. I even made a layout using Sketchup. This was the last project I did with Papa.

This is my backup home for the zombie apocalypse. hahaha

I wish my parents lived longer. We could have done a lot of cool stuff together.

I should go back to cleaning before I get sentimental and bawl over these memories. Grief, they say, is love persevering. Something like that. Writing this post is my excuse for taking a break from cleaning.

I can do this. Aja!