Built NY: It's Neoprene!

I have always associated Built NY with neoprene laptop sleeves and such, so it was a pleasant surprise when Oliver of Quirks Marketing, the official distributor of Built NY here in the Philippines, invited us over to Chef Jessie in Rockwell Club to see for ourselves what Built NY is all about now.

First off, it has turned into a family friendly brand, with a lot of handy dandy products for babies and kids. From lightweight, durable, tear resistant bibs (Php1,195) and bottle holders (Php745 to Php995) to diaper caddies (Php1,895) and changing pads (Php2,495)...
 

Basic diaper bags (Php6,995)...

and convertible diaper bags (Php5,950) that are a veritable diaper changing station in itself. They've really thought of everything parents and their kids would need.

Pre-school kids will love their animal themed lunch boxes (Php995) made with food-safe materials. It also insulates their baon for up to 4 hours.

While us girls will have a field day with their cosmetic pouches (Php1,795),

and selection of totes (from Php1,645) and duffel bags (Php4,195) perfect for summer trips to the beach, or long drives out of the city.

Because they are made from neoprene, or wetsuit material, they are pretty much lightweight, folds neatly so they doesn't take up too much space, and are easy to clean. Just throw it into the washing machine, it's that easy.

I find this collapsible reusable tote (Php545) particularly handy. Or rather, easy on the shoulders.The whole bag can be folded right into the soft, neoprene-padded support strap and stuffed into your main purse to be pulled out when you've got your hands full from overzealous shopping.

Built NY is available here in the Philippines at the following stores and online retailers:

For more on Built NY Philippines, like their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BuiltPh

Quirks Marketing Warehouse Sale

Quirks Marketing Philippines, distributor of premium baby brands like O Baby, Kaboost, Babyplus and my personal fave,  DwellStudio in the Philippines, is holding a warehouse sale on November 12!

This is a great chance to stock up on gifts, and there's no excuse not to go if you live in the San Juan, Mandaluyong, and Ortigas areas! 

Venue is at Unit 801, Atlanta Centre, 31 Annapolis Street, Greenhills, San Juan

And The Winners Are...

Ladies, take your new Cambridge Satchel around with you, every where you go!

Slink and slumber away in your gorgeous DwellStudio duvet set!

Get lost in the back alleys of Europe with your signed copy of Before Ever After!

Here's to an always bountiful supply of breastmilk from BabyMama!

Treat yourself to something nice with your Php5,000 gift certificate from Religioso or Studio 546 (details in your email!).

Browse the best of Filipino design and have fun shopping at MYTH!

From my family to yours, Grandma's Secret Spot Remover, Vapor Soove & BugBand are handy dandy family essentials that will be staples in your household!

Tee Hee Shirts from Proud Mama will let your little one's imagination take flight!

Wrap yourself in your new wrap from Willow Clothing!

Winners, please expect an email from me so we can coordinate on how you may claim your prize!

Dear readers, THANK YOU SO MUCH for joining! And don't worry, we still have more fun and amazing giveaways in the weeks to come! So keep on reading the blog!

MFO Anniversary Blog Giveaway: DwellStudio Duvet Set

Sigh, I swear, if I could afford it, I would dwell in Dwell! And buy all their printed everything!

I used to be a solid colored type when it came to sheets. I would buy organic sheets, Egyptian cotton sheets, 500 thread count sheets, but all in solid colors. Until I saw DwellStudio's Choinoiserie duvet set and I was like, "I have to have that!" Luckily, my friends Gretch & Oliver of Quirks Marketing Philippines brought in DwellStudio to the Philippines so I get first dibs on their sales! Yay! So eventually, my wish came true:

See how nice sheets instantly transformed our bed from IKEA? It's nothing fancy, but it makes an impact. When my mom came over to visit and she saw these, she wanted one too. So as a housewarming present to them, I got my parents the same duvet set for their room and they loved it!

It also helps that the sheets are so soft on the skin. Like I could sleep in them all day. When I see our bed, I just want to jump into it. Dwell is swell.

And like I said, MFO readers are special. How special? 1 lucky reader will be able to outfit her bed with the DwellStudio Hedgerow Persimmon duvet set pictured on top (will fit full/queen size beds)!

Even if you've joined the other giveaways, you are still welcome to enter the DwellStudio Duvet Set Giveaway. If you would like to win the Hedgerow Persimmon duvet set, here's how:

1. Follow @quirksph and myself @cd_mfo on Twitter

2. Like Quirks Marketing Philippines and Manila Fashion Observer on Facebook

3. Leave a comment* with your Twitter ID & email and share:

- Why would you like to win a DwellStudio Duvet Set?
- What time do you normally sleep? 

- Where do you usually buy your bed sheets and home supplies?

- DwellStudio sheets are the of the stuff that dreams are made on. Because dreams do come true, what dream would you want to make real?

*If you would prefer to enter the giveaway via private email to me, do all of the above and send an email to manilafashionobserver@gmail.com with the title: MFO DwellStudio Giveaway and leave a comment on this post saying, "MFO, I want to dwell in Dwell!"

General Rules:
- Shipping within the Philippines only
- Giveaway is for the whole month of August 2011
- Giveaway closes on 11:59 pm on August 31, 2011
- Winner will be announced by 1st week of September on MFO and via private e-mail
- Anyone can enter for a chance to win any of the Anniversary Blog Giveaway prizes, but can only win once

- No need to send multiple comments or emails per Anniversary Blog Giveaway prize. One entry per prize is sufficient

MFO Shoe Series: Gretchen Uy, Manila/Cebu

My husband and my sisters-in-law have been friends with Gretchen and her siblings David & Lesley since they were little. But I also feel like I have known her my whole life. Because we instantly bonded over being moms to active little ones, shoes, shopping, J.Crew and of course, DwellStudio!

You see, Gretch is one half of Quirks Marketing Philippines (the other half being her best friend Oliver) which happens to be the distributor of my favorite source of bed linens and baby stuff - DwellStudio, as well as other baby brands like Kaboost, OBaby & BabyPlus. The self-confessed Daddy's girl also continues to work for her dad, so she shuttles between Manila (for work) and Cebu (for family) a lot.

Apart from her busy professional life, Gretch is wife to her college sweetheart Dicky & proud mom to two boys (2.5 year old Gavin & Shoti, who is arriving in 2 months!)

With a lot on her plate, Gretch is drawn to easy pieces that she can easily mix and match. Her shoe collection reflects the same philosophy. Her shoes are a mix of pretty & practical pieces that would make any girl go "Oooohhh!"

How many pairs of shoes do you own?

Tough question! My Dad says I have plenty, my Hubby says I have too many and I say I have options! But if we need a number, I guess it's 50 (that's all that I will declare) hahaha!

My shoe collection is probably best represented by color groups and heel heights.

Looking back, I believe my style was influenced by my childhood exposure to my Mom’s Princess Diana and Jackie Onassis books, while also having the interest in reading Dad’s Time, Fortune and Newsweek magazines. I suppose my style icon would be Princess Diana + GE’s Jack Welch. I love the idea of Princess meets Power, Feminine meets Masculine.

What's your shoe size?
7 or 7 and a half.

Which pairs are your favorites?

Chanel black ballet flats -- I like the combination of the chain and tweed effect detail. It's very... Chanel. =)

Christian Louboutin Simple 80 nude pumps -- i love nude shoes as it goes with alot of my outfits and these are the perfect nude to my skin tone. Plus, the heel height is realistic. I know I can wear these till I'm 50 or 60.

J.Crew Tan oxfords -- this pair started my love affair with oxfords. It's a comfy and edgier alternative to ballet flats.

Valentino kitten heels -- the kitten heel makes it very feminine, while the studs make it edgy. Plus, it's another nude shoe. Love!

Stella Luna jeweled flats -- got me through some dressy summer events (pre-pregnancy), and even some weddings that I had to attend to (since I can't wear heels during pregnancy).

If you could only wear one pair of shoes, which one would it be?

Why would you want to do that?! (LOL! Spoken like a true shoeaholic! - MFO)

What are your favorite shoe brands?

The brands that haven't failed me -- Schu (the best flats that get me through every season and pregnancy), YSL (the comfiest heels ever! sexy too! ), Ferragamo (an oldie, but a goodie especially for my bunion friends), Pedder Red (on trend styles with great quality)

What's in your shoe lust list?

I have plenty! Giuseppe Zanotti flower applique blush nude heels

YSL crackled gold tribute sandals

J.Crew black and white oxford ballet flats,

and a two-tone oxford in black and brown (it's out there somewhere!)

Where do you buy shoes?

Locally, Schu, Rustan's, Zara, ALDO, etc. Abroad, HK's Lane Crawford and Joyce, are great mostly for "aspirational" special shoes. HK's Pedder Red is where I usually find reality haha! Singapore's Takashimaya, Tangs, and On Pedder hold great comfy and "realistic" finds.

What's that one shoe you can't bear to give away or throw out?

My one and only Chucks in army green with purple shoelaces. It's the pair my boyfriend, now hubby, gave me. It got me through a lot of photo shoots and makeup gigs back when I was still active in that field. Though my style has evolved and rarely wear them, I still put them on when I'm feeling blue. It manages to perk me up. =)

Tell us about your fondest/craziest/sweetest shoe story?

My best shoe memory happened when I was about 9 or 10 years old, and I was made to believe (by my own Father!) that Princess Diana and I wore the same shoes --- I was wearing St. Michaels (made in UK diba?!) patent black round toe flats back then.

That made my day, but of course later on I wised up. I often tease my Dad about it branding it “the only lie you ever told me”. He made up for it (a long time ago, I may add) by supporting my shoe habit (amongst other things). Hahaha!

*Obviously I’m a Daddy’s girl, and I don’t think it is a coincidence that my birthday falls close to Father’s Day. Happy Father’s Day again to my Papa!

DwellStudio Madison Totes + Draw It...Color It...Win It!

Oh Mommies! If you have been searching high and low for a roomy, light weight and fun diaper bag, you might want to consider DwellStudio's Madison Diaper Bag which comes in all your favorite DwellStudio prints: 

The shape reminds me of a Louis Vuitton Neverfull or a Goyard St. Louis, so it makes for a chic and spacious (dimensions: "11.5H x 14.7"W x 6.5"D) nappy bag.  

The Madison Bag comes in coated canvas with a patterned nylon lining & leather straps, so it's waterproof and tough enough to carry everything from diapers and extra clothes to toys and tons of snacks. And did I mention it includes a changing pad, a stroller attachment and has lots of pockets inside? 

And when the little ones are all grown up, it is still cute enough to use as a weekend tote. So sulit!

On another note, DwellStudio Philippines is running a "Draw It...Color It...Win It!" contest and they will be giving away a DwellStudio Stamp Set! 

If your child is between 2 to 6 years old, just scan a photo of your child's artwork and mail it to promo@quirksmarketingph.com by June 26, 2011.

Entries will be posted on their Facebook page for voting. The winners will be announced by July 15, 2011.

In the Philippines, DwellStudio is exclusively distributed by Quirks Marketing Philippines.

DwellStudio Home & Baby End of Season Sale!

Now is the time to stock up on DwellStudio! I love their duvet covers, bed sheets and storage bins, and I think I'll be getting some more now that they're on sale. Plus, their baby stuff are so adorbs! Perfect for gift giving! Wah, and after the holidays too! Maybe for the next occasion? Baby Shower? Christening? Just because?! =)

DwellStudio Home and Table End of Season Sale
- January 1-31, 2011
- up to 40% off on all items
- available in Rustan's Makati and Rustan's Shangri-la

DwellStudio Baby End of Season Sale
- January 7 - February 15, 2011
- up to 30% off on all items
- available in Rustan's Makati, Rustan's Shangri-la, Rustan's Alabang, Rustan's Cebu, and Baby & Beyond along P. Guevarra Street, San Juan

Congratulations Noah!

Better late than never! By now, you must be enjoying your DwellStudio goodies!

Mommy and Daddy must be so proud! Enjoy your DwellStudio gift pack from Quirks Marketing Philippines!

Thanks to all the parents who joined! Your little ones are so adorbs! Sigh!

Blog Giveaway: MFO x DwellStudio !

Parents! Uncles & Aunties, Grandparents & Godparents! Want to win Php10,000 worth of DwellStudio goodies for the little one in your life? Quirks Marketing Philippines, the official distributor of DwellStudio in the Philippines and yours truly are giving away a gift basket filled with super adorable DwellStudio products!

It's so easy to join! Just send us a photo of your little one mowdeling any DwellStudio product! 

It can be a bib:

Meal time isn't complete without DwellStudio's Paper Dolls Coated Bib! It's large enough to cover Berry's entire front, so no worries about spills and stains. It's so cute too, just like Berry!

It can be storage bins:

It's so easy to stay organized with DwellStudio's storage bins. The prints are  fun, but sophisticated enough to blend well with home furnishings. Plus, it doesn't take up too much space should we need to store the bins, because they fold up! I actually can't wait to buy other prints so I can mix and match patterns just like in the catalog!

It can be a toy:

Berry enjoys toting DwellStudio's Mindblocks around the house. She has yet to discover how to use it to form puzzles and such, but for now, she loves pretending it's her bag! She walks around the house holding it by the crook of her arm! So funny!

It can be anything really! As long as it's from DwellStudio! 

Please email your photo and short caption to manilafashionobserver@gmail.com with the subject: MFO/DwellStudio Dwellicious Baby Promo and we'll post your entry here and in Quirks Marketing Philippines Facebook page! There, we'll ask everyone to vote for their favorite entry and the winner with the most votes wins!

UPDATED CONTEST TIMELINE:
Entry submissions: June 28 to July 23, now until August 22, 2010
Voting: July 24 to July 30, now until August 22, 2010
Announcement of winner: July 31, moved to August 23, 2010

Join now! Can't wait to see your photos! Oh, btw, contest is limited to Philippine residents only.

Don't have anything from DwellStudio yet? DwellStudio is available in Rustan's Makati, Shangri-la & Alabang and online via www.quirksmarketingph.com (free shipping too!). Know more about DwellStudio and visit www.quirksmarketingph.com and www.dwellstudio.com.

P.S. - Follow me! @CD_MFO