Planner season has arrived and if you're like me, you've started looking for a new one right now. Good thing there are a lot of options out there, from cheap, no-name brands to those expensive ones you have to pay shipping for.

If you're still thinking of options, consider the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf's Giving Journal.


More than getting your delicious coffee and planner fix, you're also helping send kids to school. It's a great advocacy to support, especially in this season we call the 'Season of Giving'.

This resonates so deeply with me as I really believe that education is the the key to getting out of poverty, and in turn to a better Philippines. And if I can help, even if only a little, I wouldn't hesitate.

Going to the event with my friend and fellow blogger made it more fun.

With a series of launch events throughout the country, CBTL hopes to promote their new planner designs and share their vision on the meaning of giving.

It's my first time to attend their event, and it's very well organized. Also, there was no dull moment as the event was entertaining and interactive.


It was an intimate event with less than 50 invited guests. There were a lot of activities, too, so the launch was not all about promotion but also a way for the guests to enjoy and maybe meet some new people.

Posting on social media, some question and answer portion, and an arts and craft time was all in the program.



In between, CBTL's Marketing team spoke about the new journal and their partnership with Real LIFE Foundation to send kids through college.


The 2018 Giving Journals are available 3 solid colors of green, grey, and blue, with debossed designs that reflect CBTL's coffees and teas. Inside, the pages are filled with quotes and statements to inspire you throughout the year.

With one of Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf's marketing team, Ms. Mel

As this is also the 10th year of the Giving Journal, CBTL also created a customizable cover.

You can redeem your own 2018 Giving Journal by collecting ONLY 12 stamps at any The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf store nationwide beginning October 21, 2017.

I won in one of their social media contests. Wee!

Taking cue from Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf's central theme of Leave a Legacy, I would like to believe that from today, I will choose to look at life more positively and be more grateful for the things I have.

I've been journaling and planner-ing for quite a while now, and I've amassed rolls (and samples) of washi tapes and stickers to use. I'm actually running out of bins to store them that I've used empty TWG Tea macaroon boxes (they're a perfect fit!).

But what is a washi tape?

Strictly speaking, washi tapes are decorative tapes made from natural plant fibers or tree bark, such as bamboo, mulberry, or hemp. What makes them special and a crafter's delight is that they are repositionable. You can change your mind where to stick them. Plus, you can write on them. Isn't that amazeballs?!

But there are wishy washis (Ha. Ha.) and there are WOWshis. I'm listing down the best, preferred, and popular washi tape brands out there. At least those that I know of in my part of the world.

1. Recollections

Recollections washi tapes, from popular crafting store Michaels, are colorful and adorable. Designs abound, from floral and graphic patterns to motivational words and characters. They come in long and short tubes and typically have a theme. So whatever occasion or season you're writing about, there's bound to be a tube that's perfect for you.

Most tapes in the tube are about 5 meters and some are foiled and glittered.

2. Bande 



Bande is a Japanese brand selling washi tapes and sticker flakes in rolls. The tapes have less flamboyant design than Recollections, but you'll find rolls with whimsical themes.

Bande sells by the roll, and most tapes are 10 meters long. The brand amazingly came out with sticker tapes. Sticker flakes that come in a roll for ultra convenience. No glitter or foiled tapes.

3. MT

This is another Japanese brand with more whimsical designs, basic colors, and graphic patterns. Designs are usually a collaboration with different artists, such as their Nordic Countries line or Artist Series.

It comes in individually wrapped rolls and some in sets of two rolls.

4. Classiky



Yet another Japanese brand, Classiky features traditional hand-made items, including kitchen and table wares, linens, and stationery. Classiky tapes feature a range of whimsical, simple, and nature-inspired designs. I love the clean designs, and for the most part, muted colors of Classiky, which makes them perfect for layering with other washi tape designs.

Classiky tapes come in rolls, and most tapes are 10 meters long.

5. Tim Holtz

Similar to Recollections, Tim Holtz washi tapes come in tubes of about 8 rolls.There are 3-roll packs as well, if you just want to try it out first.

Tim Holtz is a crafter and designer known for his distressed inks and vintage-grunge style, which you'll notice in his washi tapes.

6. Create 365

Create 365 is the "accessories" brand for The Happy Planner. It's from Me and My Big Ideas (MAMBI), creators of The Happy Planner. It also comes in short tubes of 7 rolls and feature floral, graphic, and seasonal designs.



7. Maste

Yet another brand from Japan, (I guess they do make the best washis) Maste washi tapes feature bright colors and trendy graphical designs.

As with all washis, Maste tapes are made from natural plant fibers or rice paper, making them easy to tear by hand or write on (especially if you are using them for labels).

Bonus:
8. Simply Gilded

I first saw this on a Facebook group about planners and journals. Someone was selling this set of elegant and beautiful foiled tapes that I wanted to get my hands on. But someone already beat me to it.



I looked up the brand on the Internet. I was directed to an Etsy account and there I saw other equally gorgeous rolls of tapes. Yes. All the tapes in Simply Gilded's Etsy account are all TDF.

Prices are reasonable (10 m rolls), but my problem lies with the shipping because the goods will be coming from the US. It will take a few more hundred pesos and at least a month (probably) before I get my goods.

I thought Red Fox was definitely better than the first book, Darkhouse. Though there are still some annoying little bits in the book, mostly made by Perry. Like venturing off alone and not telling anyone.😒 Or Dex leaving Perry again. Or the fact that they are still denying the truth about what they see even as they are still reeling from the incidents in the first book.

I do like the character development in this book. We discover more things about our main protagonists, or why they are the way they are. Also, the relationship. It's what I actually love about the first two books. The slow romantic build-up. The tension and waiting if they will or they won't act on what they feel.💕

I still do find them a little bit unconventional and quirky. Dex is strange and very hard to read. I find myself questioning his reactions and answers like Perry. 😔

And Perry, has a lot of issues. The lying, I understand, but still...She could do without those and be at a much better place. But they are growing on me.

Maybe because I don't know anyone in my life who acts the way they do. Or I've been led to believe by other romance novels that there are certain ways people need to act when they like each other. Maybe.

The book wasn't as scary as I initially thought, though. I'd be more scared of paranormal and ghosts stuff than what Perry and Dex encountered in this book. It didn't make me want to leave the light or TV on to go to sleep, which the first one did, BTW.

All in all, a good second book in the series. I rated this book 4★★★★ in Goodreads.

This is a late post. But as they say, better late than never!

For the second time this year, I was lucky enough to get invited to the Blogapalooza. I have been going to the event since  2013, or was it 2014? Anyway, I was excited when I got the invite for so many reasons.

First, I will be forced to write a new blog post, which will keep my blog active. Nothing like being duty-bound to have new content on your site, eh?

Second, I will get to spend some time with my fellow blogger and friend, Hits and Mrs. Ever since she changed careers and left me at our old jobs, I haven't seen her. It will be nice to catch up with some gossip and political stuff (God knows I have so little to share in the department, but I'm willing to listen to other people).

Third, I'm not going to be a hypocrite and deny that I'm looking forward to the freebies I will be getting. It doesn't really matter if it's a pen or notepad, I just like to hoard freebies and give them away to friends and family.




Fourth, I feel like it's a tradition now. I've been going every year since 2013 or 2014 and I'd be sad to miss one.

Last, it's a great chance to meet other bloggers, although, I'm really too shy to just exchange information with some other bloggers. I probably should try, though.

So, how did the event go?

Well, to start with, the venue--Novotel in Araneta Center, Cubao--is convenient for me since I live in Quezon City. I was expecting it to be in one of the function rooms like previous events. But I was surprised that it was an outdoor setting, beside the hotel's swimming pool.




Don't get me wrong it was a nice place, but it was too hot for an outdoor event. I didn't even linger in some sponsor booths because the sun was simply scalding! I was there from about 11 am to 1 pm. I could've stayed longer if it wasn't so hot!

There was an air-conditioned tent though, which was reserved for talks from the sponsors. It was a welcome reprieve to be in there from time to time, but it's really bad for my migraine. It's one of my triggers. So, I had to remember to keep it to a minimum.




One of the things I noticed is that the number of sponsors are dwindling. I think it was an improvement from the earlier Blogapalooza event, the one in Centris. But comparing to previous years, it certainly has dwindled.






There were the usual sponsors like Victoria Court, Chemworld Fragrance Factory, Skin Station, Tag, and even Krispy Kreme came back! But there were new players as well, including ShapeCloud, Pangalan.com, GoMoto, MyCure, and My Marianas PH.








Going to this stint alone without my blogger-in-crime, Dompy, was a bit daunting. But I put on my go-get-'em attitude and played the many games the sponsors offered. Some I won prizes, some I lost, but I had fun all the same. And despite the heat.

I didn't take a picture of the loot I've gotten during the event, but I thank all the sponsors. I hope to see a bigger, more exciting, and COOLER Blogapalooza next year!