My Compelling Reasons

Recently, apart from researching on how to start my online business on Etsy.com, I have been reading Go Negosyo's 21 Steps on How to Start Your Own Business. I love their inspiring stories of the entrepreneurs who made it in the business. They give practical guidelines on how to start my own business.

Right now, I'm already in the chapter "A Compelling Reason." I am tasked to write my reasons on why I chose to be an Etsy Entrepreneur:

1. I love creating pretty accessories. Most of them are in floral designs. I have always been inclined to the arts growing up. I am doing this business because of my passion.

2. Though I am not working for the government and non profit organizations, my goal is to provide jobs and financial independence to stay at home mothers from impoverished communities here in the Philippines. I want to create an environement wherein they are free to look after their kids while they are at work. To some, this may sound counterproductive but I can find a way to make this setting work.

3. I want to provide scholarship grants to the marginalized youth in our parish. I want to provide them to the opportunity to choose what they want to be in life. I want them to have the opportunity to finish college and pursue their dreams.

4. I want to be successful in this business because I want to inspire people that being stubborn is just another word for being resilient.

Flores de Mayo: Toddlers and Tiaras

It's already the start of the rainy season here in the tropics. Though I'm in love with the sun, I welcomed the coming of the rain. I spent my last days of summer helping our parish's annual Sta. Cruzan. Sta. Cruzan or the Sagala is a parade commemorating Sta. Elena's finding the cross that was used for Jesus at Mt. Calvary.

This year's Reyna Elena came from our village. She's such a sweet and pretty little girl.


To be part of the parade, usually the parish would hold a fundraising through a beauty contest and the candidate with the most number of funds raised would be the Reyna Elena (Queen Ellen). She will be followed by Reyna Emperatriz, then Reyna de las Flores. There other candidates were also given titles...and our parish had 40 candidates!



This year, all the candidates were from ages five to fifteen. It was like watching Toddlers & Tiaras minus the tantrums and crazy stage mothers. During the Sagala, the local beauties would walk with ornate archs together with their escorts

Anticipating a puddle of mud

Toddlers & Tiaras Philippine Edition

It was my first time to help making the arch for our candidate. I made a hundred flowers made up of crepe. I was so happy that I was given this task since I already design fabric flowers for the past months.

One of the flowers we made for our candidate's arch

Reina Elena

A Sweet Beginning

Hi! I'm Eliza and I have been creating fashion accessories since 2006. I have been on and off the fashion industry for four years. I first learned about creating fashion accessories at Negoskwela in Quezon City. In 2009, I studied Jewelry Making under the mentorship of Rencie Santos, an international jewelry designer based here in the Philippines.

This year, I'm trying to be brave to open up a shop on Etsy. I have been researching for months on how to go about it. Tonight, I let go of my fears on starting up a shop and named it "Tea With Marie." I want my creations to range from innocently dainty to fiercely luxurious. This year, I have incorporated fabrics in jewelry and also this year, I started creating hair accessories for brides to be.