Seoul Searching | Seoul Forest.

In South Korea, May 5 is declared as Children's Day, one of the eleven official holidays in the country. On this day, parents give presents to their children and spend time with them by taking them to zoos, museums, playgrounds, and other child-friendly venues.

We had the chance to celebrate this foreign holiday yesterday - a first for us, since we don't have Children's Day in the Philippines. I originally planned to take Yue to the Children's Grand Park, a popular family destination during Children's Day, but I had been warned by my Korean friend that we might not be able to fully enjoy the park as it would most likely be jam-packed.

I took her word for it, so I took Yue to nearby Seoul Forest instead. I anticipated that the place would be just as crowded, but at least it would not be a waste of bus/subway fare since Seoul Forest is just a fifteen-minute walk from where we live.

Yue at Seoul Forest.

The third largest park in the city, Seoul Forest was established to satisfy the people's desire to have more green spaces and recreational places in Seoul. The park was officially opened in June 2005, and has since been a popular destination for both tourists and locals.

Lovely trees surrounding the car park. 

Our Children's Day/Seoul Forest experience after the jump! Lots of photos! :)

Sneak Peek | SkinFood x Eva Armisen.

Hello from Seoul!
Yes, I'm back in South Korea, which I now fondly refer to as 'my other motherland'. I came with my little man, as usual, and we'll be staying here for a good four weeks. It's still Yue's school break after all and we're entitled to stay here for a maximum of 30 days, so we're making the most out of this spring vacation (and the money we spent on plane tickets, haha).

Anyway, one of the first things I did when we arrived was to do the groceries at Emart - the largest and oldest discount store chain in Korea. They have about 140 stores across the country, and the nearby branch is conveniently just a few blocks away from our place.

Whilst there, I made a beeline for the beauty section located at the second floor. Of course, I still prefer to shop for makeup at Myeongdong, but I figured it wouldn't hurt if I did a bit of window shopping at Emart before I do the actual shopping. Because I'm OC like that, lol.

And here's what I found - another makeup collaboration, this time from SkinFood.

SkinFood display at Emart.

The popular Korean skincare and cosmetics brand teamed up with Spanish artist Eva Armisen to bring us the Waterful Days collection, a limited edition line inspired by love and nature.

SkinFood x Eva.

The collection includes the 0.9 Moist Cream Special Set (retails at 24000 Korean won) available in four different designs...

And the Pore Fit Pure Skin Cushion (retails at 20000 Korean won) with two designs to choose from.

Apparently, Eva Armisen is not new to working with Korean brands as this is her third collaboration collection with SkinFood. Her earlier collections were released sometime in 2013 and were inspired by happiness and love for family. 

SkinFood x Eva Season 1 collection.

SkinFood x Eva Season 2 collection.

Eva Armisen has also worked with Korean fashion mall Doota, with her art installation as the mall's highlight and center of attention during the last Christmas season.

Turns out, Eva Armisen's artworks are currently on display at the Gana Art Gallery in nearby Jongno until the 10th of May. I'm considering dropping by if the schedule permits. :)

Promotion through Fun and Colorful Artwork.

Art tends to be a universal form of communication. People relate to the images and colors and can understand the conveyed message even if the artwork's language is not their own. When you want to promote your business or organization through artwork, you may appeal to a broader audience when you use pieces like custom printed vinyl sticker decals or other personalized works of art that contain your message and brand. You might be wondering, "what is a vinyl sticker?" Vinyl stickers are durable, adhesive-backed stickers made from a type of plastic called vinyl. They can be printed with custom designs, making them ideal for promoting brands, messages, and artwork in a visually appealing and versatile way. You can order these pieces of art online when you visit the custom company's website today.

Photo credit: Beagle Cakes.

Getting Ideas for Your Stickers
If you realize that stickers are a great way to promote your brand or organization, but you need some ideas to help get your creative juices flowing, you can use the art handbook found on the website. The book can give you direction to coming up with good ideas and also clue you in on how to get your order placed. It will give you the details you need about placing an order and what to expect when your stickers are created.

If you already have an image created and want to share it with the company, you can use the upload button found on the website. This function allows you to upload the file to your account and to start the process of getting your stickers customized and sent out to you.

Sticker Sizes
Depending on your brand or organizational needs, you may want to order stickers in a variety of sizes. For example, if you are promoting a sports team, you may want to order bumper size stickers. This size displays your organization's name clearly so that it is visible to a wider audience.

If you want to promote your brand to kids, you may order stickers that are soft and puffy in texture. These dimensional stickers appeal to a younger audience who may like the way your stickers look and feel. Alternatively, you can also order kiss cut stickers and cut out stickers that can be used as wall or auto decals. The website provides several options that you can choose from when placing your order.

Promoting your brand or organization calls for you to use methods that transcend languages and communication barriers. Artwork that can be imposed on stickers remains one of the more popular ways that companies and other organizations appeal to their targeted audiences.

Pucker Up! | Kiko Milano Intensely Lavish Lipstick.

I have recently been acquainted with Kiko Milano, an Italian cosmetics brand which Mum says is currently all the rage in London. She's a fan of the brand herself - their lipsticks, in particular - and she brought home a few for me to try.

I immediately fell in love with this - the Intensely Lavish Lipstick, which was actually launched last year as part of the limited edition Rebel Romantic Collection.

Meet Kiko Milano. :)

I was smitten from the packaging alone. And who wouldn't be? The gold lettering on the purple box gives off a very luxurious vibe, while the sleek and glossy rose gold bullet is nothing short of elegant.

Lovely, just lovely.

Even the lipstick itself has tiny embossed prints on the side which makes it lovelier than it already is.

Details on the lipstick.

There are six shades in the Intensely Lavish range, and this one is shade #3 - otherwise known as Luscious Red. It's a solid red color that would suit just about any skintone.

Shade number on the top flap, and at the bottom of the bullet.

Kiko Milano describes their Intensely Lavish lipsticks as 'creamy, with intense and bright colour', which is exactly what it is. This lipstick has amazing color pay-off, intense even with just one swipe.

Intensely Lavish Lipstick in 03 Luscious Red.

It has a very smooth and creamy formula that glides on effortlessly, and a buttery texture that makes it very comfortable to wear. This shade in particular has a beautiful satin finish, with a bit of shine that makes the lips look healthy and naturally plump.

One swipe on the left, two on the right.

It also has impressive staying power as the color stays pretty much intact for five hours at the most. The best part? This lipstick retails for just £6.90, around Php 468 or $10 when converted.

Kiko Milano Intensely Lavish Lipstick in 03 Luscious Red.

What I love:

- Elegant packaging.

- The bullet has a magnetic closure which shuts the cap tight.

- Easy to apply.

- Creamy, lightweight formula.

- Intense color pay-off.

- Impressive wear-time.

- Affordable price.

What you might not like:

- Not available in the Philippines. 

And yes, I finally got a hair cut! :)

I do hope Kiko Milano will find its way to the Philippine market soon. I bet it'll be selling like hotcakes, much like it did in Europe and the US.

Force of Will Card Games | An Exciting Card Game for All.

One of the good things about card games is that you will not need anyone else to play with to enjoy a great game. There are lots of popular card games nowadays, which caters to a variety of game players. One of the famous games today is Force of Will, which is extremely popular among kids and younger teens.

Force of Will.

What is Force of Will?
Force of Will is a strategic and exciting card game, which was developed in Japan. Today, it has become a globally-renowned game, with players all around Canada, USA, and a few other countries across the globe. The popularity of this game is mainly attributed to its amazing work on the cards as well as the complicated system of the game.

How does it work?
In this game, each player has a ruler which serves as its avatar, and by means of the “Force of Will”, the user will summon the “Resonator” to battle each other.

New players begin the game with starter decks such as“The Machine Lord” and the “Machina” deck. These types of decks are pre-built, with content that involve a fast rule guide, a rulebook, and a play sheet. It also comes with 51 cards that you can utilize throughout the game. These starter decks are accessible in the force of will singles collection.

Besides the starter packs, promo cards are also available, though some of these are quite difficult to find. Booster boxes and booster packs of this card game are much accessible, along with every booster pack that contains 10 random cards. These cards can give extra powers to your existing Force of Will Cards.

Accessories for this card game include a wide range of play mats with stunning artwork. These mats measure around 23 ¼ inches x 13 1.4 inches. Also available are the Official Card Back Sleeves to keep your cards crisp and well-protected. These sleeves usually come in packs of 50. Storage boxes, which keep the cards in mint condition, are also available. The Ultra Pro Platinum Premium Flip Box, for instance, has the ability to hold around 100 collectible cars into the protector sleeves and is constructed from red matte leatherette.