LIFESTYLE: Beach Essentials

Raise your hand if any of you have gone to the beach and….

Wore the CUTEST bikini that you just bought for a jillion $$ and realized it cut the back of your neck.

Lost, bent, or scratched your best pair of shades because you forgot the case.

Got your face really, really burned.

I am not going to go on and on with a list of the worst beach mistakes ever made…By me! And trust me, I’ve made all these mistakes more than once including a scary burn on my nose that lasted for a week. I have learned my lesson..hopefully!

Having learned my lesson, I have made my own list the essential beach accessories I always have in hand for a worry free beach getaway. I don’t try to tell anybody what to wear and what not to wear, so the great thing about these items is that there is so much versatility to them that you can tweak each to suit you!

YOUR BEST BIKINI:

Nobody likes to constantly be fidgeting, untying and re-tying that painful strap around her neck the entire day! Take your time to find a bathing suit that rests comfortably on your body! Top heavy? Go for straps over your shoulders rather than a halter!

MY PICK: Calvin Klein bikinis. I love them so much that when I saw them on major sale, I bought one for myself and two more for my friends. They are comfortable and the straps are soft.

TOSSABLE SHADES: 

Literally, shades that you can toss or drop without saying aww f*@k when they land in the sand or the water…unfortunately I haven’t seen floating shades yet so bye, bye if they drop off a moving boat.

MY PICK: Wayfarers…SO durable…I’ve sat on, dropped and swam with them so many times I can’t count. They still look great

BENDABLE HAT

Wear a hat that lets you lay your head down properly. No one wants a stiff neck! AND as a friend of mine told me before I got burned…”wrinkles are real.” ….so wear a hat.

MY PICK: Panama hats…the good ones don’t lose their shape. Caps are great for a sporty look.

WATER WATCH

Yea okay we never want to know the time on a beach trip. But what if there is an emergency and you happen to need the time while you are in the middle of the ocean….wear a waterproof watch.

MY PICK: I love bright coloured watches this summer. I recently got a new Oxygen Sport – Lemon watch. Luhuuuve it! Have money to spend and want a watch for life? Rolex.

BEACHY BAG

You need something to carry your sunblock and towel and chips!

MY PICK: Straw bag with long straps like THIS ONE

THE ULTIMATE SANDAL

Get something waterproof, easy to walk in and can easily slip on and off your foot

MY PICK: Menorquinas (Also called Avarcas)…it gives a European twist and kicks the butt out of espadrilles! They literally shape to your foot the longer you wear them!

Hope you find this list useful! Everyone wants to look great at the beach, and part of looking great is being comfortable and not having to WORRY about whether you look great or not! You just do!

NEWS: Feel Good Friday

Hi all! I apologize that I have not posted anything in the past couple of weeks! It has been completely crazy, with work, my mother and brother visiting, an AMAZING beach trip and so much more! I promised myself that this weekend, I will sit my butt down and do a series of illustrations about these past few weeks! I can´t wait to get back to it!

 One major thing that I could not wait until this weekend to post about is that

First:

My Facebook page has gained over 2,000 likes! Yahoo! So happy and thankful for the great support! Keep sharing! Keep Caring :p

Next:

There is a new webpage in town and guess what, all it brings is GOOD NEWS!

¨The Protons Project is the brainchild and labor of love of three positively charged individuals from various industries who came together one day and decided to say “Enough!”to all the bad news, false gossips, tensions and stresses that are inflicted in our society today. Although important to hear about current events and news, we would like to promote the Culture of Positivity in our generation in hopes of inspiring and changing the future.¨

I am happy and honoured to say that myself and L.S. Illustrated were featured on their website recently! I always love to be a part of something with a great vision!

Check out my Quickie Q&A on The Protons Project HERE

Check out the feature of my online boutique HERE

A BIT OF FEEL GOOD MUSIC FOR YOUR FRIDAY

Weezer – Island in the Sun (Baby animals!)

Mi Swing es Tropical – Quantic & Nickodemus (Video quality bad, song great!)

Smooth – Carlos Santana and Rob Thomas (Take me to a beach concert now)

Many more posts coming this weekend! Happy Friday everyone!

xx

NEWS: Four Eyes — Puzzlepop From the L.S. Boutique!

One thing that I really wanted to make sure when I opened up my Etsy store, is that I wanted to give people work nice enough to put up on their walls.

Having said that, a piece of art, may it be a Warhol or a movie poster, adds the character to your space, and if you are paying for something and putting it up on your wall, you better be dang sure that you LOVE it, and  most of all want to keep it there for a long period of time! Afterall, you are seeing it everyday right? That is where I thought I could step in!

I thought…well, how can I make a piece of art versatile enough so the person who has it doesn’t get tired of it after a few months? and how do I create something that lets the owner feel that they were part of the process?

So I created Four Eyes The first of my Puzzlepop designs. Four Eyes is basically four separate prints made to be hung together. The prints are already made, but it is up to the owner where, and most importantly how to hang them. Together, separate, vertical, horizontal, whatever! Then, if you want something new, switch them around! 🙂

I really have an affinity for this piece because, although the prints are digital and can be re-produced, the one who hangs it decides the unique way it is displayed!

You better be sure that I am going to do a few more of these! 🙂

Here are a few combinations that I thought of! What are yours? 

You can purchase “Four Eyes” buy visiting my Etsy store at www.etsy.com/shop/lsillustrated or go directly to the print by clicking HERE

Have an puzzlepop idea or request? Email me at lsillustrated@gmail.com

Follow me on Twitter and Facebook!

LIFESTYLE: The Vespa Club – Rachel

Woohoo! I have finally graduated from my masters and it feels so great! And it came right on time because my best friend, Rachel, is coming to visit me from the Philippines in three days! This calls for another Vespa Club post! 🙂

This post is pretty much making Rachel my paper doll! We were talking about her upcoming trip and what clothes she should bring, since Madrid is starting to get extremely hot and dry….So jeans are usually the last option, unless you want to melt in the middle of the street! :p

In this picture, I put her alter ego in something that I have seen quite a bit this summer! And I think she would look amazing in it!  Maxi skirt, tucked in tee and leather belt…and she loves hats!

I really love the look. I have seen women of many different sizes and shapes with the outfit on and it seems to look great on almost everybody! It is so relaxed yet quite elegant.

Perfect for driving around the small streets of Madrid in your cream and tan scooter! 🙂

See you soon! x

LIFESTYLE: One for the sweet tooth

I haven’t posted anything about food in a while! I am wondering why because food is definitely on my list of the joys in life. I have decided to make up for it by posting what could be the equivalent of five food illustration posts put together! A pastry smorgasbord!  :p

I live across the street from one of the most famous bakeries in Madrid, El Horno San Onofre. It really inspired one of the illustrations I have been working on for a while! Although I am not much of a pastry person, I cannot help but dangle my tongue looking at all the gorgeous cakes and breads at the window of this place! You literally want to try every single thing  in the display — even if you have no idea what it is! — and live your entire life smelling the freshly baked bread oozing out of their ovens.

I totally eat with my eyes!  🙂

Having a small neighbourhood bakery that I could (and should) walk to and buy a fresh croissant every morning really makes me feel like I am living in Europe. It is a really small thing, but it is definitely something I will remember about Spain long after I have moved away.

So here is a little homage to Europe’s little delights! Since it is a little long (3 meters!!), I cut it up so you are able to see the detail!

***Nom nom nom! 😀

Full View

Left Detail

Center Detail

Right Detail

NEWS: Work in Progress – almost done!

Hi Everyone! I know I haven’t posted in a few days and I really feel bad about that! 😦

Remember when I spoke about a commission I was working on? If you didn’t read that post, (you can read it here), I was commissioned to do a mural for an office space in Manila! That is what I have been working one for the past few days, and I tell you, it has been really tricky! Making something that huge and keeping the quality and detail is not a piece of cake! 😦

 I promised you I’d show the work in progress! So here it is! I am almost done!! 🙂

What do you think?

 

MUSIC: SOUS LE SOLEIL

Hi all! I haven’t posted anything for my music category in a while! I thought I should post a song that has been on my playlist since I was 18, and lately I have just been playing it over and over again!

I first heard it while I was watching the movie Unfaithful with Richard Gere (sexy man), Olivier Martinez (very sexy man) and Diane Lane (gorgeous woman). The song, from the Hotel Costes Quatre album, was playing in the background during a *ahem* compromising scene in a cafe. 😉

The song, however, doesn’t remind me of the movie, it reminds me of yes, sitting under the sun at a white sandy beach! So here is an illustration inspired by “Sous le Soleil”.

 Hope you like it!

And if you want to hear the song, here is the link below

SOUS LE SOLEIL — Major Boys Feat. Aurelia

ACCESSORIES: BIG STRAW TOTES

I am so happy to see that big straw totes are popping up all over the place this summer! Marc Jacobs and even Balenciaga have created their own versions!

What is funny is that,  I was having an interesting conversation with my pal, Cristina, from Ecuador. She said that these bags (the ones made and sold in Ecuador) are not so popular and are considered not so classy!

Which brings me to the question — although I do admire many big fashion designers–why do we need a brand name stuck to a piece of clothing for it to be worth something? Even when that thing is most likely made in our own backyard!

I know I´m guilty 🙂

Cristina was a few steps ahead of me on this matter! In her case, she is talking about the craftmanship of “Paja Toquilla,” a material native to Ecuador. You have most probably seen it because it is what Panama Hats are made from!

She dreams of creating sustainable fashion in Ecuador. She wants to create large tote bags —much like what we are seeing by Balenciaga–made from materials from Ecuador, by Ecuadorians.

Because she asked me and COMPLETELY support her dream, we drew up some of her ideas together!

Go Cristina! It is great what you are doing! And I only hope that everyone can think like you 😉

FASHION: One Piece Swimsuits

This illustration is small part of a collaboration I am doing for a school project! My schoolmate, Zeynep (cool name right?) and I are creating an ad campaign for a conceptual swim line that she is designing.

When she was showing me some of her designs, although I usually buy bikinis for myself, I got really attracted to her one piece designs! Especially these two.

I really like the back strings on the left and would love to find a bathingsuit, or even a dress like it!

The one on the right is inspired by the Stella McCartney dress worn by Kate Winslet. The black parts on the sides really give a huge slimming effect 🙂

….and I really miss the beach.

L.S. Illustrated now has a Facebook page! If you like my blog, please like 🙂 🙂

FASHION / LIFESTYLE: Coral Crazy

I have been obsessed with everything coral lately. This afternoon I took a little trip to Sephora and set out to look for some coral nail polish. I promised myself I would wear much more colour this summer and this is my first action! And what luck! They had 20% discounts on ALL nail polish in the store! 🙂

I ended up getting myself Dior Psychedelic Orange Nail Polish and I am SO happy with it!

That is not the only thing I got! What else was on my list?

1.) Miss Dior Eau de Toilette Originale

it is much lighter and breezier than Miss Dior Perfume. It has a powdery, flowery scent.

2.) Clarins Super Restorative Tinted Cream

 My mom used to use this and I got hooked. It has spf 20 protection and the tint is a great alternative to putting on make up everyday and totally worth the price.

3.) Sephora Express Nail Polish Remover

This amazing little bottle where all you have to do is dip your finger in a sponge nested inside it and POOF, Nail colour gone. Why haven’t I used this before??