The Collection: February 2024
Emotionally destroyed by One Day, really cool ads I've seen, design projects I am currently working on, and more!
Second collection of the year! I feel like this month lasted three whole seconds, but at the same time, an entire week of it was spent in the countryside day drinking and partying. It was carnival week here in Panama, and I had an absolute blast. It took me 48 hours to fully recover, and I would do it again in a heartbeat; I already can’t wait for next year.
It was a much-needed break after the whole moving countries situation. Juni and I are fully settled, and yeah, everything has been better than expected. Feeling very lucky and grateful. The whole “New Year motivation high” is still running through me, and I have been surprisingly productive this entire month. I'll tell you more about it below ;)
Books
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
I am almost done with this book, and I have liked it a lot, especially the take on the narrator. It is set in World War II and is about a German girl, a hidden Jew, and of course, her affinity for books. There is a movie adaptation of it currently streaming on Disney+.
One of my favorite things to do is finish books and immediately watch the movie/series adaptations of them. I did it for every single Harry Potter book, which led me to the conclusion that the 5th book is the best book and the worst movie.
Sé É.P.I.C.A. (Be E.P.I.C) by Gemma Fillol
My mom gifted me this book for Christmas. At the time, I was reading others, so she started skimming through it and decided not only to get another one for herself but also another one for my sister as well. It is a best-seller, and I know that because the girl had to run to like three different book stores to find them.
The author is Spanish and the book talks about building your personal brand. It is for the girlies, all about women's empowerment. I do like that her approach comes from experience and emotion. It is something I strive for in my work and the most authentic and personal way to connect with your audience in my opinion.
I HATE rating books on Goodreads because I feel ruthless, but I gave this a 3/5. That is because a lot I read I already knew, but that is also me coming from a background in Advertising & Branding, so of course, I had learned it before. I was expecting it to inspire me more or figure some other things out.
To someone new to it, then yes, it is a great book. Lots of things covered the right way, no bullshit.
Movies/Series
One Day - Limited Series streaming on Netflix
Let me preface this by saying that:
I had not read the book before.
I had no idea there was already a movie about it (with Anne Hathaway!?).
I can’t stop crying about it.
I binge-watched, as it should be. It is one of those love stories that you know how it is going to go. However, the script, the acting. The emotions are felt SO deeply. I would have to sit myself up to let myself SOB.
What I love about these types of romance series and movies is how raw, real, and relatable they are in so many different aspects. It’s not just about the romance; it is about self-love, timing, platonic love, feeling lost in your 20s, losing friendships, constant change, and figuring life out one day at a time.
Basically, all the things we are going through right now. If you have seen it, the line that goes:
“I was actually quite gorgeous in our twenties… though I didn’t appreciate it at the time.”
Me? crying. right now, just by typing it. Ugh, I truly can go very deep into this. To keep it short and simple, learn to love yourself and appreciate yourself just how you are. Take pictures and record videos! Even if you hate them KEEP them. My past self made that mistake, and it is one of my biggest regrets. You don’t have to share them on social media or with anyone. One day, you will look back at them and appreciate them. The day, the moment, the memory.
Similar to this, I fully recommend Normal People by Salley Rooney. There is also a series of it on Hulu. (caution: you will fall deeply in love with Paul Mescal… and Daisy as well tbh)
Pretty Woman (1990 Film)
Don’t fight me, but I had never seen it before. It’s a fave now. It always takes me a hot second to watch old movies no matter how many times people tell me how good it is. It took me three DAYS to watch Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and after that, I never saw it again.
But LOVELY movie, I also watched Notting Hill for the first time not that long ago, and between the two this one wins by far. I am a hopeless romantic and Julia Roberts is queen.
Arts/Design/Ads
Billie’s “10 Things I Hate About You” Ad
I love a good movie reference when done right. Billie is an award-winning razor and body care brand targeted at women. They stand for breaking standards and society’s pressures when it comes to shaving. I have always loved their branding; it is very Gen-Z, fun, and playful. This specific ad is to promote their new body care line, and it is so well done. The attention to detail - the last scene is just the cherry on top. 10/10.
Loewe’s Creative Director, Jonathan Anderson
Loewe is one of my favorite luxury brands. I had never known about the story of the brand, much less about the creative mastermind behind everything I see and adore today. Adnan Sidani talks about how Anderson grabbed everything Loewe was and stood for and twisted it into the modern, and creative brand it is today.
Cardi B x NYX Cosmetics - 2024 Superbowl Commercial
If there’s something you should know about me, it is that I will always celebrate my sister’s wins to the max. I love her, and she is everything to me. She had the opportunity to produce a freaking Superbowl Commercial, and it is funny, witty, and iconic (IT’S CARDI B). The NFL has very fragile masculinity, so they refused to show the entire thing, but the full version is on social media.
What I’m Working On
Inspired by the ATNN Newsletter, Alyssa mentions the types of projects she’s working on during the week, so my take on it will be for the month. I want to share more about my work/career with all of you!
Trece Services & Website
We’re back on track; I am having so much fun designing the website but have absolutely no clue how to develop it. Might hire a developer (if you are one, hit me up) or learn how to use Webflow. Wish me luck with that!
ICYMI Trece is my creative studio which I started back in 2021 and continued to tweak and rebrand into what it is today. Left it for a while on the side-burner because of my full-time jobs, but now I am freelancing and booking clients, which is incredibly exciting!
Squarespace Design Course
I am SO close to finishing this course. I bought it almost a year ago and could not find the time, energy, or just motivation to go through it. I still need to submit the final project which is, you guessed it, a Squarespace website. What is the website I’m building about you may ask? Well… a very special project that you will hopefully get to see this upcoming summer.
Random Stuff
I did a detox for the first time ever…
I have NEVER ever been able to stick to a diet or detox, which in part I’m glad about. I easily talk myself out of them by reminding myself that life is too short and I should enjoy eating all I like. The most I have been able to do is intermittent fasting and food combining, which none of them truly restricted me.
More so for the sake of detoxing my body (and of course, “losing weight”) I wanted to truly challenge myself at something I knew I would find hard. Plus, this was like the 3rd PDF I had spent my money on so, you know.
To my surprise, I didn’t find it hard; more so I found it absolutely boring. It was VERY restricting; I would only eat certain fruits and veggies, and it was the same four recipes every day (there were a couple more recipes, but I just stuck to those four).
It was supposed to be 7 days; I did 5 (Monday to Friday) - still consider it a win and honestly don’t think I would do it again! To be honest, I’ve always eaten fairly healthy, so what I would like to do instead is add these recipes to my day to day plus other foods that will help me regulate my hormones. This leads me to my next random thing…
I’ve started cycle-syncing my workouts
Cycle-syncing is basically adjusting the way that you eat and exercise to best support your body in each phase of your menstrual cycle. It helps balance your hormones so that you can always feel your best. In comparison to men whose hormones fluctuate in 24-hour cycles, ours, of course, cycle in 28 days.
I am doing this because when my period hits, it hits HARD. I have the worst cramps ever, and my energy and emotions are all over the place. I used to take birth control pills, but I stopped about 2-3 years ago, in search of more natural solutions.
I have just started doing this, so it is difficult to tell the difference; however, I have been enjoying it a lot. I’m doing a mix of running, pilates, walking, and yoga - it doesn’t feel like a chore, nor do I dread it. It is nice; I listen to my body and give it what it needs or wants.
Down the line, I want to implement cycle-syncing the foods I eat, but for me, personally, it is a lot of work, and I can only do so much right now. When the time arrives, I will give it the priority I want to give it. I’ll make sure to keep you all posted on it!
I love you so much ❣️