My Citrine Cocktail Ring by Panopio

Citrine is known as the "Lucky Merchant's Stone" or the "Money Stone". My friend who is into crystals, graciously pointed that out to me when she saw me wearing this  giant citrine cocktail ring by Panopio on Instagram (follow me there, I'm @christinedychiao, heehee).

But I did not even realize that until after I wore it. All I know was that I was lucky to receive this beauty from Victoria and Bea Panopio, the sisters behind their eponymous jewelry label, Panopio. 

I have been wearing them when I want to dress up extra nice, and they seem to attract an abundance of compliments wherever I go.

worn with a guipure lace tunic & leggings

worn with a silk top & faux leather shorts

I am not really one to accessorize, because I mostly just stick to my everyday accoutrements, but this gorgeous cocktail ring still feels like me. It's noticeable, but it remains subdued, subtle.

The same goes for the rest of the pieces from this particular collection by Panopio at Zalora. They are enchanting, but don't scream "look at me!". Impressive yet tasteful, colorful yet restrained.

As if those combinations weren't enough, I'd have to add luxurious and yet affordable. 

My cocktail ring retails for Php7,000 - a reasonable amount for a ring made from real citrine stone certified by a GIA trained gemologist and sterling silver dipped in gold.

I can feel it in my heart that my "Money Stone" will bring me more abundance and success, good fortune & good luck. Coupled with a citrine-infused positive flow of energy and confidence, I will then happily buy the green quartz and amethyst cocktail rings too. That's how much I love them. Got to have this giant cocktail ring in all its incarnations, seriously.

Buy your own giant cocktail ring by Panopio at Zalora. 

For more about Panopio Jewelry, like them on Facebook and follow @panopiojewelry on Twitter.

The Wicked Matter, Wine & More

We keep our wines inside our buffet table which is the darkest place I could store them, away from the pantry where food odors could contaminate the wine.

My only issue with it though is that our bottles are laid out in a single row, taking up precious space. It is not uncommon to see trays, placemats and table napkins stacked on top of bottles of wine. I kind of get nervous too whenever we open it, afraid that with bottles rolling around, one bottle is bound to bump into another and break.

So when Raquel Ong Sue of The Wicked Matter sent over their "wine glass bottle stack" made from slip free silicone, I was just so excited to use it!

 

With the wine stacker, I eventually managed to stack 7 bottles where there only used to be 4 bottles. Theoretically, I could in fact use it to stack up to 10 bottles, except that the storage space was low and I couldn't squeeze in a third layer. 

So pleased that I could stack bottles without fear of having them roll around inside the buffet table

If you think the wine glass bottle stack is wonderful, here's something that solves the issue of drinking from another guest's wine glass - "bird wine glass markers"!

When we had my cousins over for dinner, and I whipped out these cute little birds to put on their wine glasses, they just loved it. They're cute and practical to boot!

Apart from silicone wine bottle stackers and wine markers, Raquel also brought in these handy dandy kitchen products like environment friendly food wraps you can use in lieu of plastic cling wraps, glass coasters, tea infusers and ice/chocolate/jelly molds, among others:

The Wicked Matter's selection of fun and practical products is mompreneur Raquel's brainchild. She shares she used to have a 9-5 job, but felt frustrated for not being able to spend time with her son. Thanks to her supportive husband who encouraged her to go into business so she would be able to control her time, she decided to look for something interesting and came up with The Wicked Matter. 

Whether you love to entertain, or simply need a great hostess gift, remember, The Wicked Matter has the answer!

The Wicked Matter products are available at Hobbes and Landes (Bonifacio High Street, Greenbelt 5 and Power Plant Mall), Crossings Dept Store (Shangri-la Mall and Quezon Avenue), www.chicify.com, www.qrius.ph, www.zalora.com.ph, The Landmark (Trinoma and Makati). For inquiries and updates, like The Wicked Matter on Facebook.

DwellStudio Sale 2013

So, Dex of DwellStudio Philippines started telling us about the DwellStudio Sale last week, posting photos upon photos of DwellStudio stuff on his Instagram that I just couldn't avoid it anymore. Anyhoo, since I love DwellStudio and I cannot resist the word "SALE",  I told my friend Karrots who also needed stuff for her new house. Yesterday, we went to check out what was on sale in Rustan's Shang. OMG. Tukso, layuan mo ako.

Duvet sets at 30% to 40% off! I also ended up buying a set for my friend Naomi in Singapore, who follows me on Instagram and saw the pics - that's real-time, online shopping with personalized service! As in,

Naomi: "Buy for me naman, sa tabi ng stripes, the beige, gray, blue, bagay yan sa bedroom namin"
Tin: "Here pa, what size do you want?"
Naomi: "Queen"
Tin: "Ok, paying na!"

The baby line was on sale too! Saya saya! Wooden toys, beddings, blankets, lunch boxes, all on sale! The sale in Rustan's ends on February 4, 2013 but I suggest you go while the selection still hasn't been picked through.

DwellStudio stockists are on sale too, until January 31, 2013! Check out Baby & Beyond on P. Guevarra in San Juan, Numa as well as Zalora.

Now, I also want a rug too and those super nice Zebra throw pillows that remind me of Scalamandre wallpaper. Class.

Manyika for your Manika

I love clothes, shoes and bags so I feel very lucky to have a little girl who loves to dress up, maybe even much more than I do. That is why I love discovering new clothing brands for little girls that just makes it so much easier to dress Berry in fun yet age appropriate clothes.

One such brand is Manyika, a new clothing line for girls ages 2 to 10. The pieces are cute and modern, trendy and fashionable with details and designs that would be great for both casual and dressy occasions. 

The designer, 28 year old Monica Padilla, studied fashion design at IstitutoMarangoni. She became Hindy Tantoco's assistant designer and eventually a lead designer, coming up with women's, swim and kids wear. It was in kids wear that Monica found her calling. She shares, "I found it so cute and exciting to do something so small, so adorable."

And adorable best describes her pieces. Plus I love that Manyika has party perfect pieces that aren't too frou frou for my taste. Elegant and again, age appropriate. Check out these dresses from the Holiday 2012 Collection:

Yogarat x Zalora Blog Raffle

Founded in 2008 and based in Santa Monica, California, YogaRat is a yoga-inspired active-lifestyle brand with a mission of realizing the perfect blend of premium quality, affordability, and a distinct "fun factor" in all of their products. 

Known for their non-toxic and eco-friendly yoga mats and super-absorbent, fast-drying microfiber towels, YogaRat also uses minimal packaging for all their products, making sure they are treading as lightly as possible on the environment. Now isn't that worthy of reaping good karma?

Speaking of karma, if you've been good, maybe your lucky day is just around the corner! Zalora and Yogarat are giving away the following items to one lucky reader of MFO:

One (1) Easy Mat Strap - This lightweight mat strap makes it easy to to transport your yoga mat to and from your yoga classes. The strap is made from durable nylon and Velcro enclosures that make it versatile enough to fit any yoga mat. The strap can also be used to aide you during your yoga practices when support is needed for certain yoga poses and stretches.

One (1) RatMat Pro - Our premium RatMat Pro yoga mats are made of Eco-friendly 100% TPE material that's lightweight, tough and grippy. They are produced without the use of latex, rubber, or toxic materials.

Whether you are a beginner or a devoted yogini, there's nothing like new yoga accessories to excite you about your practice. Admit it! Detachment to material things, what's that? Heehee. So join na! Here's how:

1. The contest is open to all readers of MANILA FASHION OBSERVER with a local/Philippine address.
2. Contest period is from November 6 to November 13. Winner will be chosen via random pick and announced on November 14, 2012.
3. Join via Rafflecopter:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Panopio x Zalora Blog Raffle!

I have this delicate "C' pendant necklace from Panopio for Zalora that has become my everyday accessory. Unobtrusive as it looks, it still never fails to catch attention, and I just love how it is so simple and so elegant. 

This is the handiwork of Vicky and Bea Panopio, New York schooled sisters and the design-duo behind PANOPIO. They work with precious metals, diamonds, and colored stones to create exquisite pieces such as these:

They work out of their shop in The Manila Peninsula, and recently came out with an exclusive line with Zalora – Panopio for Zalora. My necklace, the Edwardian Script Initial Pendant, is the first of this line.

I am often asked if it is made from real gold. Actually, this is silver dipped in gold, and is really quite affordable at Php1,880 for the chain and pendant together. Panopio for Zalora pieces also come with a lifetime warranty on the color and shine (provided they are reasonably cared for by the owner of course), so no worries there if you are afraid that it will eventually tarnish. I often end up sleeping with my necklace on, and showering the next day with it, and so far, it hasn't lost its luster. It's really well made.

A Block Letter font will be released soon, as well as scripts with diamonds. And I can imagine these will all be as equally pretty as their debut product. 

Of course, I have got to share this great find with you. Panopio for Zalora is giving away 1 customized Edwardian Script Necklace to one lucky reader (meaning, choose your own initial hee!). Here's how:

1. The contest is open to all readers of MANILA FASHION OBSERVER with a local/Philippine address.

2. Contest period is from June 29 to July 13. Winner will be chosen via random pick and announced on July 15, 2012.

3. Join via Rafflecopter:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

NOTE: Participants MUST be a registered member of ZALORA. To register:

Step 1: Log on to www.ZALORA.com.ph

Step 2: On the upper right hand corner of the Home Page, Click on “Account” then Select “New Customer”.

Step 3: Fill in your Account information.

Step 4: Press Submit!

Bonus Step: Don’t forget you can get a free P250 Voucher when you sign up for the newsletter.

Want to shop for Panopio Jewelry now? Click HERE!