Cracked Nail Polish

I had a mani-pedi after months of keeping my nails bare. That's a lot of breathing time, if you ask me. Also, I got used to seeing them without color, especially at the times when I was drafting. I guess now I can have my nails painted since I won't be doing tedious things with my hands yet for the next few weeks.

Are you guys familiar with the cracked or crackle nail polish trend? It's basically the easiest nail art ever. All you have to do is apply a base coat, let it dry then apply a layer of Cracked nail polish and... it actually cracks! My friend, Kirby (the same guy who gave me the Mortal Kombat shirt from Hot Topic) gave me a bottle of L.A. Girl Cracked Nail Polish in Explode (GNL176) and only got to try it on my first mani-pedi session for this sem. I used a grey Orly polish as my base coat (since that was what Enza Katipunan had) then topped it off with the Cracked nail polish and was quite pleased with the results. I'm not exactly a fan of nail art but this type amused me because I like the deconstructed vibe the effect has and since the cracked design comes out randomly as you apply the coat of polish, it's interesting to watch the pattern form.

I kept my toes plain, though just to let them have the clean look. I apologize for showing you a photo of my not-so-attractive feet. I just wanted to show you the color they currently have painted on.

Photo Credit

There are other brands that offer Cracked or Crackle nail polish, like China Glaze, OPI, and Mia Secret, and their effect is closely similar.  I think I'll go around looking for other colors and brands, check what's readily available here in the Philippines, and keep experimenting with the cracked fun when I can.

A Not So Feel Good Drag

Today has got to be one of the most dragging days of this week. The second semester's just starting and already I feel spent. I had four classes today and my profs for every subject I had today  totally drained the life out of me. They were like dementors of some sort. I'm too weak to even rant about the details that ended up making me feel so tired.

I sneaked a one-hour nap when I got home but still woke up feeling sluggish. Having a Cranberry White Chocolate Mocha and Warm Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake at Starbucks barely helped. And I thought that sugar could somehow raise my dampened spirits.

 

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I was expecting an awesome day ahead, despite having barely any break because I always try to be positive about going to school. Plus, I enjoyed being with my friends at Papu's last night. I guess the universe just balanced things out for me.I even wore my Mortal Kombat shirt, which was a gift from my friend, Kirby Salvador because it gave me happy childhood vibes. I found it cute that Sub-Zero and Scorpion were the characters on the shirt and the famous line "Finish him" was written on it.

Mortal Kombat by heiditorralba featuring a skinny belt

Since I wasn't able to take a shot of my outfit today, I styled a similar thing on Polyvore to give you an idea of what I wore. I borrowed my mom's belt and the earrings my sister made while she was tinkering with my chains and charms.

I don't know why I'm challenging negative energy today and I don't know if the dementor profs are the only ones to blame. I know there are many other reasons, one of them could be hormones. It's just been a not-so awesome day. Maybe the rest of the week will turn out to be better. I'm crossing my fingers on that.

Blue Skies

Cardigan, thrifted; accessories, thrifted; bag, Manels, ballet flats, Charles and Keith

I didn't spend my semestral break solely in Davao City. My family went on a road trip to General Santos City to attend the San Miguel National Beer Drinking Contest 2011 Area Finals. It was one of the activities of for Oktoberfest and me, having been no-show in Oktoberfest events in the past few years, was game to go to GenSan with the family. The event was a total bust. The band sucked and the contest was pretty lame for me. The beer drinking contest I attended before was way better, when it came to the line-up and program. Thank God for free beer. I downed two San Mig Lights and headed up to our hotel room.

I didn't expect GenSan to be extremely warm the next day. I didn't want to show too much skin though, so I donned a light grey cardigan, which I borrowed from my mother. I kept things simple because I packed light and we were going to be on the road for the most part.

We went up to Kalsangi to buy loaf bread and check on their Halloween preparations since Halloween celebrations are an annual thing in the area. Kalsangi was still as beautiful as I remembered it. Overall, it was a chill but not extremely awesome weekend. But at least I got to relax with my family after my week with my Arki friends.

The Skinny On Fashion

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"To all you girls that think you're fat because you're not a size 0, you're the beautiful one, it's society who's ugly." - Marilyn Monroe

I just recently read a post by Kristina Bazan of Kayture entitled Does Skinny Rule the Fashion World? and I can't help but think that the battle between separating the linkage between "beautiful" and "skinny" is still going on. Gone were the days when women like Marilyn Monroe would be the women young girls would look up to when it comes to looking sexy. Now, young girls starve their way toward perfection, believing that food is the enemy and that every roll of fat they see on themselves when they face the mirror is a signal to skip on meals for the rest of the day. I have actually written a letter to Meg Magazine a few years back regarding this issue on what is considered beautiful in the fashion industry.

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"I know it's one's personal task to boost self-esteem but it would also be really good if media did its part in making women realize their true potential rather than rob them of the chance to believe that they can shine with what they were born with."

I had to quote myself because it was with this line that I felt I needed to emphasize. Despite the campaigns popping up on body acceptance, saying that skinny isn't in, well, I gotta tell you one thing: skinny IS in. Why do we have to deny it to ourselves? We don't see average-sized women gracing the glossy pages of fashion magazines. We don't see plus-size models working it on the runways. And we definitely do not see fashionistas/stylistas above a size 8 or 12 get a lot of hits on Chictopia or get the most hypes on Lookbook. No matter how much we tell insecure women out there to love themselves and not let their size and figure weigh them down, it can't be helped, because society does it for them. Society does it for us.

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You might wonder why I sound so affected regarding this issue. It's simple, I have been labeled and have been insecure myself. I get told that my arms and thighs look huge in photos. I've been told that there are some clothes I can't wear because of this and that. It has come to a point that I call myself fat and I get reprimanded for doing so because I am not fat, nor am I bordering towards overweight. I am an average-sized woman with an athletic build and birthing thighs. I am a healthy 120-pound 20-year-old woman who stands at 5'4". I might as well put it out there. Maybe it has helped to have guy friends who constantly tell me that I'm not fat and tell me that they'd choose soft, curvy real-looking women over reed-thin models. Maybe it has helped to surround myself with people who look beyond the superficiality of physical beauty and dig deep towards what makes a person who they are. Either way, I have learned to accept what I am and what I can be.

We know that clothes look generally better on skinny people. Generally. The skinny members of society just comprise a tiny percentage of the whole female community. There are more women out there with bellies, butts, and thighs. Why can't the media and the fashion industry put these women in the spotlight and show the rest of the world that clothes look good, if not awesome, on them, too? We know the power that media and fashion have over everyone and it's about time this power actually did some good to the teenage aspiring models who flip through fashion magazines or stay glued on their televisions watching Fashion TV.

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I salute Danah and Stacey of PLUMP as they continue to push the advocacy on bodily acceptance at a time when physical discontentment is at its peak. Danah and Stacy know what it truly means to be beautiful and to be confident in your own skin. These two help many filipinas realize that you don't have to be reed-thin to be beautiful. You are beautiful and fierce any weight you are.

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I also have to applaud my fellow blogger and one of my closest friends for years now, Farrah Garcia of The Style Reactor for being confident in her own skin. You'll understand the insecurities she has gone through by reading her post on finally stepping out of her comfort zone by proudly embracing her curves. I can't be any  happier to see her exude a certain aura of confidence because of this.

We're going to be fab no matter what our weight and figure may be. We are beautiful the way we are. So, I don't care if the media will say "Skinny is in." Skinny can stay in for as long as it wants, I know my athletic build will not handle being reed-thin and I'm embracing my curves after years of insecurity. No, I am not shunning or hating those who are thin. If you're thin and achieved that figure the healthy way, then I salute you. Just remember that being skinny doesn't make you better or even prettier than the average-sized girl next to you.

More Than Just Jailbait: The Runaways

"People don't want to see women doing things they don't think women should do." - Joan Jett

Source

I have always been a fan of vintage rock. I'm a kid of the 90's but my taste in music goes as far as the 70's. So you'd imagine my excitement when I discovered about The Runaways, the first and pioneering all-girl rock band of the 70's, being a teenage rocker-wannabe back when I was in high school. Embarrassing to admit, but I found out about them after watching The Runaways (2010), a supposed biopic of the band's life in the music industry, casting Dakota Fanning as Cherie Currie and Kristen Stewart as Joan Jett. The movie focused on Cherie Currie mainly, since the story was based on her book, Neon Angel: A Memoir of a Runaway.

My personal favorites among their songs are "Cherry Bomb","Hollywood","California Paradise","I Love Playing With Fire",and "Gotta Get Out Tonight."

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Who knew that this innocent-looking child actress would bag the role of a teeanage rockstar battling with drugs at 16?

For those who may not know and think that the 2010 movie The Runaways is a purely fictional movie about teenagers on drugs, here's a quick history:

Joan Jett and Sandy West were the first to form the Runaways in 1975, having dreams of creating an all-girl rock band. Jett is a self-taught guitar player and West has been a drummer for heavy metal bands. The two approached Kim Fowley who agreed to take them in and find other members to form the band. The final line-up consisted of Cherie Currie on vocals, who was found in the Sugar Shack, Lita Ford on guitars, Joan Jett on rhythms and vocals, and Sandy West on the drums. None of the bassists who auditioned stayed long enough. They had Micki Steele, Jackie Fox, and Vicky Blue.

The band got signed by Mercury Records in 1976 and released the self-titled album which was followed by a U.S. tour.

In 1977, the band released their second album, Queens of Noise, and headed on to a sold-out tour in Japan. They were welcomed by ecstatic fans there and they released the album Live In Japan (The Runaways album) which instantly went gold. It was at this time that Fox left the band, to be replaced by Jett and then by Blue.

Cherie Currie was the next one to leave, leaving Jett as main vocals of the band. They released their fourth albim, Waiting for the Night, in 1977 and had a worldwide tour with The Ramones. The Runaways parted ways with Mercury Records and Kim Fowley in 1978 due to certain rumors regarding abuse. After this, they released their final album, "And Now... The Runaways" and disbanded for good.

The real Runaways

The Runaways (L-R) Cherie Currie, Joan Jett, Sandy West, Lita Ford and Jackie Fox

Joan Jett went on to continue playing music. She's still currently enjoying a solo career that included a slot on the 2006 Vans Warped Tour, and her own label, Blackheart Records. She was one of the two women to be named by Rolling Stones magazine as one of  the 100 greatest guitar players of all time. She is well known for her hits "I Love Rock 'N' Roll", "Bad Reputation", and "Crimson and Clover."

Lita Ford performed solo and is best known for her songs "Kiss Me Deadly" and "Close My Eyes Forever," a song she sang with Ozzy Osbourne.

Sandy West formed her own band called the Sandy West Band and toured up until the 90's. She passed away in October 2006 after being diagnosed with cancer a year back.

Cherie Currie released poorly-accepted albums with her twin sister, Marie, along with her acting career. She is now a chainsaw artist in California.

They may not have gone as far as being the "female Beatles" but they began a revolution in the music industry. They may have started as jailbait rock and The Runaways may have died that way, but their music and their purpose, especially Joan Jett's, lives on.

"Only because The Runaways were my baby and there's no reason to get it back together except to totally have fun. If that's not the goal, then I don't want to do it." - Joan Jett Source


Not only were Joan Jett and Cherie Currie music icons of their era, they were also named by Elle as the music industry's 25 most influential and intreoid style icons. Cherie Currie has been known for her heavy metallic eye makeup, chunky heels, glitzy tops, and head-to-toe lingerie outfits. Her bandmate on the other hand, is popularly decked in all-black outfits, starting with dark eye makeup, motorcycle jackets, and trusty old Converse sneakers.

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I have created a few outfits inspired by Joan Jett and Cherie Currie. I'm planning to actually have a photoshoot wherein I'm wearing outfits inspired by their style as an ode to their music and their history.

DIY: Earrings

Hell weeks are finally over! And because of that go through therapy to relax myself. One of my favorite therapies is crafting. I have been an arts and crafts lover for as long as I can remember and I just recently took on wire crafting. I was ecstatic the time I bought my first craft pliers. I think this happens to everyone who wants to try something new out of passion. I have a lot of chains and my sister just recently bought me supplies for earrings so I decided to use what she bought and experiment. Mom found the earrings I made cute. Hooray for my first fan. :))

Drop Earrings

Tassle Earrings

Bead and Chain Earrings

I do this for the fun and relaxation I get out of it. I do this out of the love for the craft. I wanna do more, really. I wanna practice the art of wire crafting. I'll keep practicing and will post as soon as I have more DIY stuff made. Anyway, have a nice day!

Fall 2011 Trends: Chunky Sweaters

I check on College Fashion daily because of their interesting articles regarding the latest trends and outfit combinations.Earlier this month, they started posting articles regarding the latest trends for Fall 2011. There was an article regarding what a girl needs to update her wardrobe for fall and this season's must-haves are pretty interesting, even the color trends.

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The "-ber" months are in which means colder weather and more opportunities to experiment with layering and take out those jackets, coats, and sweaters! Here in the Philippines, we may not have fall but the "-ber" months are relatively cooler, plus with this parade of storms passing through the Philippine Area of Responsibility, lower temperatures and bed weather are expected. On days like these, I like to curl up on a couch or in bed wearing a chunky sweater. Chunky sweaters are so comfy that I can get a good snooze while wearing one. Fortunately, chunky sweaters are included in this season's trends!

I currently own one chunky sweater which my dad bought for me on one of his trips to Baguio City. I never get to wear them outside the dorm or condo because it gets too warm to wear them to class but thanks to colder days, I just might get to wear them outside.

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I took this shot three months ago. It was a pretty cool day when I took this out of the bottom of my clothing pile. Yes, I own a "Bill Cosby"-type sweater. This is the type most souvenir shops sell. They're pretty comfy and excellent for lounging or on days when you're feeling lazy. 

Embrace the colder months. Embrace the thick clothing. Embrace the chunk. Now, I ask you, would you wear a chunky sweater? 

Blue Lovin'

I came home tired from 171 work. For the past month, my classmates and I have been working on a 1:10m model of a steel and concrete structural frame. We just finished the beams of the first storey awhile ago and just added concrete to the form. The concrete mixture stained the underside of my fingernails and the Mighty Bond we were using to keep the ties in their places have made my fingers rough. My fingers have been a rough, flaky mess thanks to Structurals class. I was deciding on whether to continue my acad work here at home and proceed to sprucing up my plans for Design or to paint my nails. And then I thought, "Screw it. I'll paint my nails."

Photo Credit: Symphonies of the Overdosed

I have not painted my nails in months and I think my nails have thanked me for it but I wanted to see some color on myself. Now, I'm not one to pick subtle colors for my nails. I've tried blood red, bright yellow, orange, and purple on my nails. My mom tells me the colors don't suit me because of my skin color but this never stopped me from going outrageous with my nails.

This has got to be the darkest hue of blue I've used on my nails, The Face Shop BL605. There's a lighter shade of blue in our collection but I went for this just so that my nails will have that weird pop of color. This isn't my first time to use blue on my nails. I had BL602 last April and had something that looked like "Ateneo blue" in the summer of 2010.

Me trying and failing to make a shisha puddle (2010)

Is blue my favorite color? I don't know really, but I have noticed that I have a lot of blue pieces in my wardrobe. I have blue accessories, a pair of polka dotted blue flats, and A LOT of blue tops. So, I guess I am a lover of the hue. I don't know if I can call it a favorite though because whenever asked "What is your favorite color," my mind draws a blank. I am that lame.

Looking at my posts on Lookbook, I've noticed that most consist of at least one blue item. I remember telling myself years back to inject color into my wardrobe and I guess I injected too much of one color. I'll never get tired of blue, it being a neutral color and all, meaning it goes well with EVERYTHING, but every girl needs versatility in their closet and I think my wardrobe has been limited. Can anyone else suggest a color for me?

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Four-Day Laze

     I never considered myself a homebody. I mean, I do enjoy staying at home but whenever I can, I always try to find time to head out with friends to catch up over coffee, good food, or a few drinks. It doesn't have to be very far, I just need to spend time with my friends because I don't like being alone. Lately, though, I've spent my weekends at home, vegging out. I'll marathon movies or a series, cook, or take out food from across the street, and just stare at my laptop screen till night comes. I think I'm starting to lead a pretty boring life. And do you know what weirds me out? I'm totally okay with it. I'm fine with staying in on weekends weekends when everyone else is out partying and getting wasted. I'm okay with watching downloaded movies in the comforts of my condo unit while everyone else are in theaters, watching blockbusters on the big screen.

     Thanks to the numerous holidays August has, we didn't have regular classes Friday through Monday. Well, I still had Arch170 on Saturday and CWTS on Monday but I had Friday off, plus afternoon classes on Thursday were cancelled thanks to ACLE. Talk about a bummeriffic weekend right?

     When I'm home, I get to experiment in the kitchen. I play around with whatever I can find in the kitchen.I experimented with tuna last Friday with the help of Kirby Salvador, a friend I met one night at Abreeza, Davao. He gave me specific instructions on how to make the tuna meal. It's funny how I had to consult him through text because I didn't know what to cook for lunch.

French toast, chicken sausages, and diced peaches

   My favorite thing to experiment with? French toast, since it's pretty easy to make. Actually, anything that has eggs as ingredients are easy, don't you think? :)

     I made my french toast with leftover raisin wheat bread since that's what mom left here in the condo and I'm not a fan of white loaf bread. Yes, that sounds pretentious but ever since mom started buying wheat bread, my taste buds have gotten used to the not-so-sweet loafs. I still eat white bread, though, don't get me wrong.

French toast out of raisin wheat bread

     During the whole long weekend, I only remember going out thrice. Twice was because I had classes and the other instance was because my sister and I had to attend mass. We usually attend mass in UP, but we decided to try attending mass at Our Lady of Pentecost since it's a lot nearer. It is a wiser choice since the church is just a short walk or tricycle ride away. And since it was a Sunday and I didn't go out all dressed up, I decided to dress up for church. Yes, rare girl moment!

Thrifted charm bracelet from Eastwood Weekend Bazaar

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     After the mass, my sister and I headed to Rustan's to buy some vegetables and other grocery items because I wanted to do another kitchen experimentation. I cooked up a carrot and broccoli stir-fry and it came out perfectly. I didn't take a photo of it, though since my sister and I went straight to eating after. Oh well, bummerific weekend. I'll write regarding the next long weekend, too and we'll see how that goes. :)

First Day High

     First day of classes and I didn't know what to wear. The heat was pretty oppressive and I didn't want to go to my classes all drenched in sweat. Come to think of it, I didn't have any classes except for Math 53 (or should I say Math 159). I spent the day just lazing around, playing card games with the boys and chilling at Papu's with the boys before heading home. Pretty chill day. 

     Monday was our "last day of summer." Some of my friends spent it bumming out 'cause we won't get that privelege once the professors start bombarding us with papers, exams, and plates. How did I spend mine? I got creative and started crafting. I finally bought wire, a tool set, and crafting pliers. I was spazzing inwardly and just wanted to test my idle crafting skills. I managed to make a few stuff, around five rings and one necklace. I don't have a photo of the necklace but I'll show it soon. I used one of the rings on my first day in school. What do you think? :)

     The first day of classes wasn't very eventful, class-wise. It is never eventful, actually. Professors are too lazy to hold classes, the students aren't prepped for lectures, and we all just really wanna sit and hang out with friends or orgmates. The first day of classes in UP is used to make the summer memories and enrolment stress roll off our shoulders. Real work starts the week after. I'm in my fourth year in college, I'm used to this kind of set-up.

4th Young Multimedia and Graphic Designers Summit at DLSU

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I attended my first Young Multimedia and Graphic Designers Summit at DLSU last Saturday because my long-time friend, Lian Castillo, one of the organizers of the talk, invited us last February 14. She told me Gerry Alanguilan (Komikero) was gonna be there, as well as Tricia Gosingtian. Since I was free that day, I decided to take a shot. I'm not a graphic designer or someone who's even practicing graphic design. I just appreciate art and look up to those who followed the path of the artsy farsty and are now getting recognized for it. The event wasn't a total waste at all. BEST ART DAY EVER. I learned a lot from the speakers. They had all good insights and advice and they were really nice. I now have new idols in the artistic field. Christian San Jose is just 21. Successful at 21, can you believe that?! *laslas*

CSJ89

Mithi and I were seated at the back row. During Christian's talk, I saw Gerry enter the room and take the seat near mine. SPAZZING. Of course I didn't show it but I was so damn excited to actually see him right there beside me. From afar, Lian was giving me signs, spazzing from her position and telling me that Komikero was right beside me. Of course I knew he was right beside me, I just wanted to play it cool. Of course, I mustered enough strength to talk to him after. :))

The greatest man on the Internet: Komikero

In the middle of Gerry's talk, I had to step out to answer a phone call. I saw Tricia sitting outside. She was the  next speaker. I was awestruck (inward spazzing) and I wanted to tell Mithi that she was there just so that she can grab Gayba (her camera) and take a photo while there wasn't a crowd forming around her. But I left my other phone with Mithi and I was in the middle of a serious phone conversation. I just paced back and forth, leaned on the wall, and tried to speak in hushed tones because I noticed that Tricia was looking at me while I was on the phone. After her talk, when I managed to have my photo taken with her, she said "Siya yung nasa phone kanina sa labas." LOL.

Tricia Gosingtian

Nelz Yumul (WeWillDoodle)

Oh, and we also had our photo taken with Monica Muyot, Lian's friend, because we caught ourselves admiring her prettiness. Fan girl moment there again.

I enjoyed the day tremendously. I can't wait for next year's YMGDS. Good job, Lian! :D

Photo credits: Mithilaya Reyes Miclat

Thingys Photoshoot: Behind the Scenes

One Monday, Cessa Gaston made a Facebook post saying "Heidi Louise Torralba do you love me?" I laughed at the thought but replied anyway. She wanted to know if I was free in the upcoming Saturday, and I was. All she said next was "YEY! Model. Be pretty. AWESOME." How could I say no to that, right?


The shoot was supposed to be at Daylight Studio in Cubao X. An emergency occurred which made us end up at LGV. We were supposed to shoot at the Rainbow Trees (named because the tree trunks were painted using the colors of the rainbow) but there was a construction going on in that area so we had to find another place which was still within LGV. Thank God we found a place. It was fun to frolic while Jeric took shots. Happiness in nonsense, it is. :)

‎"Lie down on the grass, roll around, I will make you laugh."

- Jeric Rustia

The heat was oppressive, plus there were construction workers looking at us from a distance, but I don't think  they could see very well with the distance between their spot and ours. We managed to laugh a lot and enjoy the shoot. 

Cessa happily frolicking

With our photographer, Jeric Rustia

Note: I do not take credit for any of the photos posted in this entry.

Photos courtesy of Jeric Rustia

Clothing c/o Cessa Gaston and Hannah Torralba (teehee)

Check out more photos from Cessa Gaston's album: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=260220&id=537972005

Thingys Accessories

The Thingys website has a new look! Visit it at thingys.com.ph! :)

Check out the Starsheep Trooper! necklace One of the cute Thingys designs I wore for the shoot. :)


I don’t have a close-up photo of the Sheep, though, and the site currently doesn’t have a photo of it either 
because this came from a limited edition set

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The skirt from my sister’s closet. She made me borrow some of her clothes to bring for the photoshoot (Cessa made us bring A LOT of clothes so that we could choose. And because of all this, I told myself that I had to start shopping for new clothes. My wardrobe needs new items, I believe.

Yes, everything I wore here isn’t mine, but I personally put them together (which made Cessa go “I like it”). :">

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It was a fun day. To check out the behind-the-scenes happenings, check out Thingys Photoshoot: Behind the Scenes

I take no credit for the photos used in this entry. All photos are Cessa Gaston's property.