BabyBjörn Original Organic Carrier : I like!

I am currently 22 weeks pregnant and this is baby carrier is making me salivate! In the Know Mom is having the perfect giveaway for expectant moms like me.

BabyBjörn is a popular brand among choosy moms and they have continued to improve their products over the years. Their Baby Carrier Original is being recreated today in the Original Organic Carrier using organically grown cotton. It also complies with various standards tests that certify it is free of hazardous substances and safe for babies.

If you want participate in this giveaway, follow this link.

Re:DESIGN for SURVIVAL

Tell me who doesn't remember this time of the year last year, and I'll tell you someone with no heart nor memory. In commemoration of Typhoon Ketsana's raging temper (Ondoy for us) last year, Design Against the Elements.Org is holding a design contest open to both students studying architecture and professional architects.

Besides a hefty cash prize, the winning design will be built as a prototype disaster-resistant and livable eco-village in Taguig, Metro Manila.

For more information, click this link.

2010 PBBY Salanga Prize Call for Entries

The Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY) is now accepting entries for the 2011 PBBY-Salanga Prize. The contest is co-sponsored by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and The National Library.

2011 marks the 150th birth anniversary of Jose Rizal. To commemorate this event, all 2011 PBBY-Salanga entries should be inspired in part or in whole by the life or works of Jose Rizal. Prizes will be awarded in an appropriate ceremony to be held during the celebration of National Children’s Book Day in July 2011.

CONTEST RULES

1. The contest is open to all Filipino citizens except those who are related to any PBBY member up to the third degree of consanguinity.

2. Stories should be intended for children aged 6 to 12 years old. The plot and the sequence must be capable of sustaining an illustrated book of 28 to 32 pages.

3. Entries may be in Filipino or English.

4. Entries must be in hard copy, double-spaced, on short bond paper. Maximum length is five (5) pages.

5. Each entry should be accompanied by a brief note explaining how the story was inspired by Rizal, as well as the source of the said information (i.e. title of book/article on Jose Rizal).

6. A contestant may send in more than one (1) entry.

7. Each entry must be signed by a pen name only. Five (5) copies of each entry should be placed in an envelope, on the face of which only the pen name of the contestant should appear.

8. Together with each entry, contestants must submit a second envelope, on the face of which the pen name shall appear. This must contain the contestant’s full name, address, contact numbers, a short literary background, and a notarized certification from the author, vouching for the originality of the entry and for the freedom of the organizers from any liability arising from the infringement of copyright in case of publication, and affirming that the entry or any variant thereof has (a) never been published nor (b) won any other contest i.e. that it has never won 1st, 2nd, 3rd, honorable mention in any other contest or otherwise been awarded a medal, a citation, or included in a publicized list of meritorious entries to a literary contest.

9. All entries must be sent through snail mail to the PBBY Secretariat, c/o Adarna House, Inc., Scout Torillo cor. Scout Fernandez Sts., Barangay Sacred Heart, Quezon City.

10. All entries must be received by the PBBY Secretariat no later than 5:00 p.m., November 15, 2010.

11. Winners will be announced no later than December 17, 2010. Non-winning entries may be claimed at the PBBY Secretariat until January 10, 2011.

The winning story will be the basis for the 2011 PBBY-Alcala Prize. For more details, interested parties may contact the Philippine Board on Books for Young People, at Telefax 372-3548 or email pbby[at]adarna.com.ph.

MODEL SEARCH!!

Robinsons Department Store and Smart Parenting bring you the much-awaited 2010 Baby Model Search. To join, just buy a top and bottom worth at least P500.00 from the Infants’ and Children’s Sections of Robinsons Department Store within August 1 to October 10, 2010. Your kid must wear the Robinsons Department Store outfit during the Go-See day on October 10, 2010 at the Activity Center of Robinsons Galleria. Grand winner will get a modeling stint from Robinsons Department Store, P30,000 worth of shopping spree plus features in Smart Parenting magazine!

Register anytime between 10am to 3pm. GO-SEE starts at 11am.
Have your child wear the top and bottom that you purchased from Robinson Department Store within the promo duration.
Proceed to 1 of 5 Photographer set-ups. One model / photographer at a time. Each child is allowed up to 5 poses (with beanbag set-up).
Learn smart tips on parenting with mom-child friendly activities and games.
Check out booths and nooks filled with great finds for you and your child.
Please bring proof of purchase receipt with you during the GO-SEE. For strict implementation. (requirements for the proof of purchase will be discussed below)
For readers in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao who cannot attend the GO-SEE, prepare

proof of purchase (requirements for the proof of purchase will be discussed below)
one (1) full-body 4-R photo (in full color) of child wearing top and bottom from Robinsons Department Store – Infants’ and Children’s departments.
complete name of child, birth date, your e-mail, mobile number, complete home address, and complete name of guardian / parent with affixed signature.
enclose all requirements in an envelop and SEND IT TO
Robinsons Department Store presents Smart Parenting Model Search 2010

c/o Summit Media, 7/F Cybergate Tower 3, Pioneer St., Robinsons Poineer Complex

Mandaluyong City 1550

Entries will be accepted until October 10, 2010. Incomplete requirements will be disqualified.

Looking for Juan Storywriting Competition

1. The CANVAS Storywriting for Young Readers Competition is open to all Filipinos.

2. Entries must not have been previously published, and all entrants must warrant the originality of their submitted entries.

3. Writers may submit only one entry, which must be written in English.

4. The target readers for the stories should be young children (age 4-8 years old).

We are looking for unique and creative stories that feature a strong central character (preferably, but not necessarily, a child) who faces and overcomes a challenge or obstacle. Ideally, it would speak about a universal theme or experience, even though the story itself may reflect Philippine culture or may be situated in a particular place, province or country. The best stories stretch a young reader's imagination and speak to children in an authentic voice. They evoke real emotion, whether it is humor, love, fear, or joy.

For further guidance, here are some pointers from Kelly Sonnack, the Agent for the Andrea Brown Literary Agency who will review the finalists:

• Length: Today’s picture books are short. Try to stay under 1,000 words. Those under 700 or 500 words are even better. Make sure each word is necessary to the telling of your story (and leave room for the illustrator who’s paired with your work later on to help tell parts of the story, too).

• Plot: Traditional picture books have a traditional story arc like any other genre of fiction: a beginning, middle and end that incorporates a conflict/obstacle, has the character overcoming that conflict, and also shows character growth as the character overcomes their problem. There are other types of picture book stories, but this is the most common formula.

• Character: The character of your picture book should be close to the age of the picture book reader (4-8 years old). And be sure to let your child character be the hero of his/her own story. Don’t let an adult, pet, older sibling, be the one to rescue the child. Let the character struggle and overcome the conflict he/she is faced with.

• Topic: Choose a topic that’s unique. Editors want to see things that are fresh, special, and new. There are some topics that have been visited countless times, which makes them hard to sell since a new one has so much competition. Some of these are: ABC or 123 books, books about new pets, books about Christmas, retold American fairy tales, and bedtime books.

• Rhyming: If you choose to write your manuscript in rhyme, make sure the rhyme is perfect (that includes pattern, beats, and rhyming scheme). Rhyming books are particularly tough to sell to publishers right now.
  

5. Manuscript entries must not exceed one thousand (1,000) words. Entries that exceed this limit will automatically be disqualified from the competition.

6. Entries shall be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Originality and Storyline
• Quality of Writing
• Imagery (The story should be publishable as a picture book)

7. The top five (5) entries selected by CANVAS shall be sent to Kelly Sonnack of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency for comment and feedback, and the overall winner shall be selected by CANVAS based, in part, on such feedback.

There shall be only one overall winner, who will receive Twenty Five Thousand Pesos (P25,000.00) in cash (less applicable withholding taxes).

Only the finalists will be given copies of the comments/feedback received on all the stories reviewed by the said Agency.

For Complete Mechanics, click here.

Search for the Human Nature Ambassador

Gandang Kalikasan, Inc. (GKI) through its brand Human Nature, is the fastest-growing social enterprise in the Philippines. Founded in November 2008 by Anna Meloto-Wilk and Camille Meloto, daughters of Gawad Kalinga founder Tony Meloto, Human Nature is guided by the principles of being PRO-PHILIPPINES, PRO-POOR and PRO-ENVIRONMENT. It produces natural and organic personal care products that are 100% made in the Philippines and 100% free from harmful chemicals. It recently sold its one millionth product.

The nationwide search for the first-ever Human Nature Ambassador for the Philippines
 14 local winners will be chosen and the national Human Nature Ambassador will be crowned at the Human Nature Summit on October 9, 2010
 The Human Nature Ambassador will advocate the brand principles of Pro-Philippines, Pro-Poor, Pro-Environment, will be knowledgeable on the country’s environment & social issues, and will be a role model for what it means to love your country

To download the application form, click here.

Kurosawa Film Festival

To mark the renowned film maker's 100th birthday, the Japan Foundation, Manila, in cooperation with the Cultural Center of the Philippines and UP Film is holding a film festival that will feature 21 films of Akira Kurosawa.

I've only seen one very beautiful fil of Kurosawa, Seven Samurai, and I am sorry not to have seen more of it. This is my chance.

Here's the schedule:

• September 22
  
• 1:00PM - Judo Saga ( Sugata Sanshiro)
  
• 4:30PM - To Live (Ikiru)
  
• 7:00PM - The Bad Sleep Well
• September 23
  
• 1:00PM - High and Low
  
• 4:30PM - The Hidden Fortress
  
• 7:00PM - No Regrets for Our Youth
• September 24
  
• 1:00PM - Yojimbo (aka The Bodyguard)
  
• 4:30PM - Red Beard
• September 25
  
• 1:00PM - Seven Samurai
  
• 4:30PM - In the Woods (Rashomon)
  
• 7:00PM - One Wonderful Sunday
• September 27
  
• 1:00PM - The Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail
  
• 4:30PM - The Lower Depths
  
• 7:00PM - Sanjuro
• September 28
  
• 4:30PM - Judo Saga Part 2 ( Zoku Sugata SAnshiro)
  
• 7:00PM - Stray Dog
• September 29
  
• 1:00PM - Dodes'kaden
  
• 4:30PM - The Most Beautiful
  
• 7:00PM - Drunken Angel
• September 30
  
• 4:30PM - Throne of Blood
  
• 7:00PM - I Live in Fear

Free Better Parenting Symposium

I would love to attend this symposium. I am 19 weeks preggy after all. But the venue is a little inconvenient for me. But I hope some moms will be able to take advantage of this. The event will be held in SM Muntinlupa on September 19, at 2 pm

To make sure you have seats, email babycompany@ymail.com with your name ang number of seats you would like to reserve. Write MIMIFLO in the Subject line.

Have Fun!

My Beauty Secret

I follow a very simple beauty regimen. I just wash my face everday, at least twice. I try not to wash it too much so as not to scrub the oil off. i read somewhere that the more you strip your face of oil, the more oil it produces. So now, I switched to a beauty bar to keep my face moisturized. true enough, it worked.

Also, I always keep a water bottle by my side to keep me hydrated. A dehydarated body always have dry skin, which isn't flattering.

Body scrubs, not professionally. The feet are the most overworked part of the body, so I occassionally indulge in a homemade scrub using table salt and baby oil mixture. It works fine. But I did have one booboo when I decided to use this mixture to exfoliate my whole body. I used rock salt, which really are like rocks! AND, it was on the day when I'm supposed to attend a wedding in a halter top gown. Fortunately, I took a bath ,much, much earlier so the red scratch marks on my arms had time to subside a little. Never again will I use rock salt to exfoliate!

But Asians Secrets' lulur seems like a nice option. It is mild enough to use everyday! I can even use it on the big day itself (whatever it is!) and not worry about getting scratches all over my body. And the good news is, Asian Secrets is having a giveaway!

Contest mechanics

1. Simply write an answer to this question!

For the brides: The big day draws near and you have to look perfect. How do you plan to look your best? Youʼre encouraged to talk about your gown, makeup artist, desired look, motif, beauty rituals, and how Asian Secrets can help you on your big day.

For the general readers: What are your beauty secrets? Youʼre encouraged to talk about the beauty products, tips, tricks that you swear by, plus how Asian Secrets can be incorporated in your routine.

2. Once you have it, blog your answer (+1 entry) and/or post it as a note on Facebook (+1 entry). Donʼt forget to include four things: your answer to the question, the contest poster, mechanics, and link to the contest page. You can also promote this contest on Twitter (+1 entry), and Plurk (+1 entry) for more chances of winning. For Twitter and Plurk entries, include the hashtag #asiansecrets.

3. Go to this blog, and leave your comments and blog entry links.

PAGBABAGO

It is amazing how vivid the memories still are even after six years. Six years ago, I took a leap of faith into the world of motherhood.

This unexpected journey is against all my Tauruean sense of practicality and stability. It goes against every grain of my belief not to plunge into the unknown without taking a dip first.

But I did go through it, took the plunge and all, and emerged as a doting mother, not without the accompanying ‘tummy-novela’ of course.

My journey started on the first month of my pregnancy. I was confused, to say the least. With no plans of having a baby in the immediate horizon, I was at a loss. I honestly haven't prepared myself for the introduction of this new life. I was caught by the winds of change flat-footed.

I am financially and emotionally unqualified for this pregnancy. Besides, the pain of motherhood, literally speaking, still haunts me from my college days when we were shown very graphic videos of natural birthing.

For the next days, I embark on an emotional rollercoaster that can rival that of Enchanted Kingdom’s Space Shuttle. Yes, I have concerned terminating it “spontaneously.” It didn’t work because maybe, the effort to expunge the tiny creature is half-hearted. And maybe, just maybe, my baby’s will to live and be born is overwhelmingly strong that all my efforts are negated.

Weighing all the odds and heading the advice of wiser indviduals, I decided to keep the baby. It has already made itself very comfortable in its corner in my universe.

The moment I’ve decided to keep the baby, it is as if a dark ominous cloud lifted to reveal the golden sun. The ray of sunshine is most welcome. Days seem to be brighter, and the nights, more loving. I’m in a daze. I’m walking on clouds. Everything fell to its place.

Of course the moment I knew I was pregnant, I knew that I have to stop eating the deliciously sinful dinuguan of Goldilocks and switch to a more healthy lumpiang sariwa. I have to admit that I am not a very adventurous eater, so weaning myself away from the familiar dinuguan was a bit hard at first.

And letting go of the familiar and embracing the unfamiliar change in one’s life, such as becoming a mother for the first time, takes courage. Change may be the only thing constant in the world, but it is also one of the hardest things to accept at times.